


The Honourable Member

by Cerdic519



Series: Sanditon, Or The Sorely-Tried Alpha [2]
Category: AUSTEN Jane - Works, Sanditon - Jane Austen, Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Castiel/Omega Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Alternate Universe - Jane Austen Fusion, Butt Plugs, Cock Rings, Dildos, F/F, F/M, Gay Sex, Hand Jobs, Inheritance, Knotting, M/M, Marriage, Panties, Pie, Politics, Romance, Rutting, Sussex, Teasing, Vibrators, Writing, stagecoaches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-05 21:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 22,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15871758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: Jane Austen's last unfinished novel, Sanditon, completed - and turned into a destiel fic!It is 1808. Mr. Castiel Parker thinks that his carefully laid plans for his life - a political career, marriage, a family and perhaps eventually becoming prime minister – will soon be back on track after his unexpected inheritance of a shop from his late grandfather. But the arrival to the town of a certain omega called Mr. Dean Heywood is about to throw not so much a spanner as the whole bleeding tool-bag into the works!





	1. Shop!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MelodyofWings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelodyofWings/gifts), [Darmys](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darmys/gifts), [bookworm4ever81](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookworm4ever81/gifts).



> There is a newcomer in town, a chance encounter that is not that much of a chance, and a prospective new neighbour for Mr. Castiel Parker's shop. But some things stay the same, for good or ill.

In the months since his unexpected inheritance from his late grandfather, Mr. Castiel Parker had come to suspect that that gentleman had had him pretty much figured out. The young alpha was methodical in his approach to life (not 'anal' as a certain annoying red-headed personage claimed) and had planned his life thoroughly. It would involve a successful business, a mate and four children (one of each), and a political career that would see him rising steadily through the governmental ranks. He had always hated and been very vocal about hating having to deal with people, and evidently this had gotten back to his grandfather. Rats!

Citadel Clothing lay on Quiberon Street, a short thoroughfare that connected Sanditon's High Street with the Grand Parade. The shop was next to the Town Hall and the majority of the councillors were clients, some of whom even paid their bills without reminders. There was a small curios shop next door (called rather gratingly Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe) and then the horribly-named 'Bide-A-Wee Hotel' where the road met the seafront. Castiel knew that his late grandfather had owned the curios shop and he had been rather disappointed not to have been left that as well, as his own shop was doing well enough to expand into it. The place had always seemed surprisingly busy for such an establishment, but Castiel was sure they could set up somewhere else. Perhaps the mysterious new owner, the cousin he had been unaware of until recently, might sell.

The alpha was changing the small window display that cold January day when he saw a strange sight coming down the turnpike road from London, to wit his twit of an eldest brother's carriage. Castiel frowned. He was sure that Michael had been due back a week ago and he knew how fixated (anal _was_ justified on this occasion) the eldest Parker was over timekeeping. He wondered what had delayed him.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Fortunately Castiel was spared having to go round to the family home as that same day Miss Charlotte Griffiths came into his shop. Not that the red-headed proprietress of Bradbury's Seminary for Young Ladies and Omegas was the worst gossip in the town but.... all right she was the worst gossip in the town.

“I do not know how you find these things out”, the alpha remarked dryly. “My brother's carriage passed but two hours ago.”

“I have my sources”, the young lady grinned. “He set out from London over a week ago but he took a short-cut on his way back ostensibly to avoid the turnpike tolls, and his carriage overturned near a place called Willingden.”

“I have never heard of it”, Castiel said.

“It is about six miles the other side of Hailsham”, she told him. “He has suffered a sprained ankle so that will be his prime topic of conversation for the next few months.”

Castiel did not even try to deny that. She still smirked though.

“He was fortunate that although it did not happen in a village, he was close by the house of the local squire”, she said. “Guess which one?”

“I cannot know every country squire for ten miles around”, Castiel pointed out.

“You should know this one”, she said. “Or at least his predecessor; Mr. Franklyn Devereux is the second husband to the former Miss Mary Campbell, whose first husband was - _Mr. John Heywood!”_

The name was familiar from somewhere but Castiel could not immediately place it.

“And?” he said.

“Who was the offspring of a union between his father Mr. Henry Heywood and a certain omega already engaged to be married – one Mr. Timothy Neill. Your grandpapa!”

Castiel's eyes widened.

“And my eldest brother's carriage 'just happened' to break down outside the house of our omega cousin who inherits the shop next door?” he said heavily. Miss Griffiths nodded.

“Most surely an _amazing_ coincidence!” she said, in a tone that belied her words quite effectively. “Dean – Mr. Heywood – wants the rooms above the shop fitted out for him to live there, and your brother has invited him to stay at Halsey House for a week or two until it is all done.”

Castiel had seen the builders at work upstairs. Fortunately they were as usual all betas, so they kept the noise down.

“You know the gentleman?” he asked. She nodded.

“He and I are members of the Historical Re-Enactment Society in Hailsham”, she grinned. “I saw him only last week and he told me about your brother's 'chance' arrival. He had had to leave the house because your brother talked too much.”

“That sounds like Michael”, Castiel said crossly. “What is this omega like?”

“He is _really_ handsome!” she said. “Strapping and muscular, far from your typical omega in both build and character. He takes no nonsense from the alphas and betas of the area, as several have found out the hard way.”

She waggled her eyebrows at him. He shook his head at her.

“I do not need a strong-willed omega as a mate”, he said firmly. “ _My_ mate will stay at home to look after our children. I have decided that already.”

“You were right”, she said.

“What?”

“Some members of your family _are_ very set in their ways!”

He swatted at her but she was already heading out of the door. Damnation!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Mr. Michael Parker was developing Sanditon as a resort in partnership with the _grande dame_ of the area, Lady Rowena Denham, one of the very few people of whom Castiel was truly afraid (she had briefly been his aunt through her short-lived marriage to his Uncle Matthew). Her ward and nephew Inias was Castiel's employee, an omega who had once quipped that his patroness 'has had many husbands and had been married to five of them', a thoroughly catty remark rendered doubly annoying by the fact that it was all too accurate. Lady Denham lived in Denham Park, one of her many properties, along with her beta nephew Mr. Mark Crowley-Denham and her niece Miss Margaret Denham. Castiel would not have called these latter two spongers, but Inias and his other employee Adam (neither of whom had learnt subtlety) both did. Frequently.

The alpha wondered idly just what this Mr. Dean Heywood was really like, as the fellow would soon be living next door. They should have already met; Mr. Heywood's step-uncle Mr. Thomas Devereux had been running the shop until his nephew came of age and the omega had come down for a week the previous month to look things over, but unfortunately Castiel had had to go to the West Country to represent his mother in a family funeral. He had actually been quite willing as his mother always marked such events by having one of her Readings, and he had missed her story about the drunken centaurs kidnapping a phalanx of Spartan warriors and having their way with them. 

He had not missed it _that_ much. And the dirty looks he had got from his brothers when he had gotten back – hah!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel could have done the same as his soon to be neighbour and lived above his shop, but such a thing would have been frowned upon socially as unfitting for an alpha in the early nineteenth century. Instead he lived in his brother Lucifer's house in Sandover a mile away, walking the mile or so across the sandy bay each day, the road around the bay being some three miles long. Mr. Lucifer Parker had inherited their late grandfather's house and estate in Sandover much to the chagrin of his elder twin (Castiel still smiled when he thought of the hilarious will-reading). 

Had the second Parker sibling then kept himself to himself all might have settled down, but of course he had not. Sandover lay just off the turnpike road between Hailsham and Sanditon, and there were plans once the war was over to build a new road along the coast to Hastings and avoid the long detour inland. This had led Lucifer Parker to start developing the village as a 'superior resort', a rival to that of his brother. At least Castiel got on well with his house-mate as they shared an omega preference, an aversion to mornings and an utter and unabiding terror of their mother Lady Rebecca. 

On this cold January day Castiel had returned to an empty Aboukir House as Lucifer had gone up to London for the week. His fellow alpha did not envy him in the slightest; even with the new turnpike roads the ten-hour journey was both long and uncomfortable. He took an evening walk along the sea-front and noted with interest that his brother's development of several seafront properties was proceeding apace, most certainly observed with fury by Michael from across the bay.

There was a familiar figure ahead of him and Castiel groaned when he recognised his brother Balthazar. Perhaps he had finally run out of ladies and omegas who did not return his attentions over in Sanditon and was trying his luck here. He was currently talking to a well-dressed young lady who.....

Who apparently knew exactly what to do with her parasol. Ah well, in this fast-changing world at least some things stayed the same!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

An additional part to Castiel's business was a clothing repair facility. The arrival of an Oriental lady called Linda Tran and her son Kevin some two years back had been most fortuitous for Citadel Clothing, for just as the business had been taking off the French leader Napoleon had instituted the Continental System against his bitterest enemy. Unable to worst them at sea the Little General had decided to try to throttle their trade, somehow overlooking the fact that most trade passed across seas ruled by the British Navy. The Portland government had responded with the Orders In Council, neatly turning the French blockade back in on the perpetrators of the pan-European war, but the high prices and suppressed demand at home had done some harm to the business. Enabling people to mend or improve their existing clothes had been an excellent idea and had kept the shop's profits rising throughout a difficult period.

Mrs. Tran was in addition almost as efficient as Miss Griffiths when it came to gossip, although Castiel valued his body parts sufficiently to never comment on that fact. Her omega son Kevin attended Miss Griffith's Seminary.

“Mr. Hollis has been seen in town”, she observed as she repaired a pair of black trousers. Castiel looked at her curiously

“Which Mr. Hollis?” he asked.

“Mr. Wilson”, she said. “The late Mr. Hollis' nephew.”

The omega could see why she found the news interesting. Mr. Franklyn Hollis had been Lady Rowena's.... third husband? No, her second; his uncle Matthew had been number three. Either way Mr. Hollis had been the one to bequeath Sanditon House and his entire estate to his new wife in his will, and to then have conveniently died just two months later. Local gossips had of course had a field day, although nothing had ever been proven and the lady's marriage a week later to Lord Denham had agitated the gossips even more.

The advent of Mr. Wilson Hollis suggested that that particular hornets' next was about to be stirred up again. He was only a year younger than Lady Rowena, an alpha and the offspring of that gentleman's first marriage, and his father's death just after he had amended his will had doubtless not gone down well. 

“Do you think that he is Making Inquiries?” Castiel asked.

“Most definitely”, she said. “There is still money in his family, and several of them think they can at least force Her Ladyship to pay them to go away.”

“More fool them”, Castiel observed. “The day she parts with a penny without good cause will be a cold day in Hell. She would more likely marry him first!”

She shook her head at him but smiled.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

A few days later, Castiel was invited (ordered) by his mother to attend a family dinner. He did so reluctantly, knowing that he would be hearing in excruciating detail about his eldest brother's recent escape from the jaws of death or, as a less charitable person might have termed it, his minor road accident. The only surprising thing in Castiel's opinion was that Michael did not gloat about his 'chance encounter'.

He soon found out why. After the dinner was over Castiel's mother drew him aside. He prayed silently that she did not want him to read one of her dreadful stories. He had not been that bad lately, had he?

It was, it turned out, even worse. She had decided that all her sons deserved (as she put it) 'a tilt at the quintain¹', and Castiel was not allowed to leave until he had promised to attend a dinner with this 'Dean' once it could be arranged. He could see now why Michael had been annoyed as even given the competition – Lucifer whom Castiel was fairly sure was interested in someone else, Raphael who was currently identifying as the Queen of Sheba, the hands-on Balthazar, the prank-prone Gabriel or he himself who was busy with his own life – the eldest Parker did not want anything coming between himself and a profitable business.

Oh, and a mate.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time we see the arrival of Mr. Dean Heywood to Sanditon, where he meets some of the Parkers and makes a terrible mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) A contraption used at medieval tournaments. A horse rider had to charge at a round target and strike the exact centre with their lance. If they were off-target the counterweight hanging across from the target would swing round sharply and likely unhorse them, to the amusement of onlookers. An appropriate analogy as hard riding would indeed soon be happening (sorry).


	2. Leaving Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has mixed feelings about his inheritance and moving to Sanditon, even if it is barely ten miles away. Mr. Michael Parker, whose 'fortunate' stay at his stepfather's house preceded this trip, was in truth rather creepy but he has five brothers all of whom are unmarried alphas or betas. Dean has to get lucky with one of them, surely?

Mr. Dean Heywood had, he supposed, been extremely fortunate in one aspect. His late and un-lamented father would certainly have seized control of any inheritance and wasted it in record time had he been able to do so, but his grandpapa had correctly assessed his character and left the moneys to his grandsons instead despite their being omegas. Dean guessed that his mother must have been hard put to go through the rigmarole of mourning his father's death, and he had heard more than one village gossip muttering that she had been the only one even pretending to miss him. Her subsequent marriage to his dour but reliable beta stepfather Mr. Franklyn Devereux had been a much happier match; the latter's brother Thomas was running Dean's new shop for him in Sanditon which he would take over on his arrival. A shop, Dean had quickly learnt, that was rather more than it appeared.

In appearance Dean was not a typical omega. His sub-gender had despite this led several alphas and betas in the area to ignore this, only to find that some omegas were more than capable of holding their own, and indeed holding alphas in particular in such a way that any sudden movement might seriously endanger their future chances of reproduction.

“So what do you know about 'Sanditon'?” his seventeen-year-old brother Samuel asked. 

The relationship between the brothers was a good one, or at least as good as any such relationship could have been. Dean liked his sibling, but Samuel's failure to stop growing to the point that he was now the taller of the two was a sore point, and he had silently rejoiced when their mother had insisted that the moose only be allowed to join him come summer. Samuel wished to train to be a lawyer, and with the money the shop was generating that was now distinct possibility. Especially if the new lines Dean was planning did well.

“It is just over ten miles from here”, Dean said, “and something of an up and coming resort according to the alpha who 'just happened' to have an accident here.”

Samuel sniggered his disbelief. Dean grinned at him.

“Yes, having an accident where you can spend some time with the omega who stands to inherit a good business!” he snarked. “Our cousin Michael is a widower with four young children, who are all being looked after by his late wife's sister because she volunteered.”

His brother looked at him dubiously.

“And Charlie, the only person I know in Sanditon, says that he is a useless father anyway”, Dean said. “Not that he did not make his interest in me during his stay quite clear.”

“Charlie knows too much about everyone”, Samuel observed. “She said that he has five brothers, though?”

“Two more alphas and three betas”, Dean said. “Maybe even one suitable for a moose like you!”

His brother pouted. 

“Mr. Michael and his family mostly live in Sanditon”, Dean said. “He is one of two people funding the expansion of the place – he only mentioned this some seventeen times; I counted - although Charlie says that he is really only an alpha front with most of the money coming from Lady Rowena Denham.”

“I have heard of _her!_ ” Samuel said fervently.

“One of the few ladies who make me glad to be an omega”, Dean agreed. “She was briefly married to Mr. Parker's uncle Matthew, amongst many others. The youngest of the three alphas, a Mr. Castiel Parker, owns the shop next door to mine, so I will be seeing more of him I suppose.”

Hopefully a lot more, Dean thought silently. Charlie had described the youngest Parker as 'dreamy', and for someone like her that was a real compliment. Perhaps he might make a decent mate for Dean – once he was fully trained of course.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

It had been arranged that Dean would post the six miles to Hailsham where he would meet with Mr. Michael Parker's carriage. The omega felt more than a frisson of excitement as he waited outside the Trafalgar Inn in the High Street; he had never seen the sea before. He wondered idly which of the various Parker brothers would proposition him first. He had his knife ready just in case.

The resort itself was smaller than he had expected, although he could see new houses being built southwards along the road to Beachy Head. Halsey House, home to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Parker and his temporary base until the men finished fitting out the rooms above his new shop, was a vibrant pink two-storey house on the sea-front. Mr. Michael Parker duly welcomed him and introduced him to his father and mother. They were, Dean was told, both writers, and in a moment of what turned out to be fateful stupidity the omega politely asked if he could read some of their works.

That was his first mistake in Sanditon. A bad one!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Perhaps the most surprising thing about Halsey House was that so many of the family lived there. The three beta sons, all in their twenties, still lived at home and Mr. Michael Parker was there more often that not despite having his own house somewhere nearby. Only the other two alpha sons were not based there; Mr. Lucifer (Dean wondered at that name) Parker lived in a house across the bay, whilst Mr Castiel Parker shared that house but was more commonly seen at the shop next to Dean's own.

That the younger brothers were not married turned out to be less of a surprise when Dean quickly ascertained their characters. Mr. Raphael Parker (twenty-eight) had the sort of look about him that suggested it was not just Halsey House that was semi-detached (Dean would later find out that this particular week he was identifying as a gypsy fortune-teller). Mr. Balthazar Parker (twenty-six) was if anything even worse; he was seemingly prepared to try his hand with any female or omega in the vicinity (he was the first to discover Dean's knife). Stephens, the manservant assigned to the omega for his stay here, had quipped that his fellow beta was now having to travel as far afield as Hailsham in order to get slapped or punched these days. And Mr. Gabriel Parker (twenty-four) was a joker who, Dean was sure, had been responsible for the apple-pie bed that had annoyed him on his first night. The omega seriously doubted that the fellow even considered marriage, being content to go through life making jokes at other people's expense.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

One of the first people Dean saw outside the Parker family was of course his friend Miss Griffiths who was.... well, she was still herself.

“So”, she said. “Which of our Parker alphas or betas are you going to take as a man, Dean?”

He winced at her frankness.

“I do not really like Mr. Michael”, he said. “It is not just his being a widower and nearly a decade older, but he is so full of himself as the senior alpha.”

“Especially as he did not inherit his late grandfather's wealth”, she said. “You have not met either of the absentees yet, I suppose?”

“No”, he said. “What are they like?”

“Oddly Mr. Lucifer is probably the nicer of the two”, she said. “He does not have any looks as such, but despite his demonic name he is good at heart. Unfortunately he is already smitten with someone else in town.”

“Who?” Dean asked.

“A lady never tells”, she said primly.

“And that is relevant to you how, pray – ouch!”

He should have known better than to make a quip like that before removing himself to a safe distance.

“The other is Mr. Castiel”, she said, “the owner of Citadel Clothing next door to your shop. Another part of the inheritance that his eldest brother resents not having, though he could not even manage his own children let alone a shop. The youngest alpha is a good sort, but despite his looks I doubt he is for the likes of you.”

“Why?” Dean asked.

“Because he is positively anal in mapping out every exact detail of his life ahead”, she said, “and he expects a traditional humble little omega mate, a role that you could never play.”

“I can so humble”, Dean said.

“Yes, I remember our last Historical Society re-enactment”, she grinned. _”Handmaiden!”_

The omega scowled. That had been one time, damnation!

“So it has to be one of the beta Parkers, then?” he said.

She scoffed at him.

“Away with the fairies, a lounge-lizard and a practical joker?” she laughed. “It will be a miracle if you leave Sanditon wedded to and bedded by a Parker, Dean.”

Yet for once the impossible red-head was actually wrong. Well, mostly wrong.....

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time, Dean sees his inheritance and Castiel sees stars.


	3. K-not Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Lucifer Parker both find their plans upset somewhat, and Castiel in particular discovers that the human body is an inconvenient if 'k-not' a downright inconsiderate thing.

“Spain?”

Mr. Lucifer Parker yawned and looked blearily across the table. Castiel suppressed a smile; none of his family (himself included) really 'did' mornings but he and Lucifer were by some distance the worst.

“What about it?” his elder brother growled, glaring at the sausages on his plate as if they had offended him.

“It looks promising”, Castiel said as he perused the newspaper. “I think many Spaniards are beginning to realize that inviting the bulk of the French army into their country on the pretence of slicing and dicing Portugal might not have been such a good idea after all. Maybe if they do throw off Napoleon they might then ally with us.”

“Oh.”

“So who is the omega?”

His brother blushed deeply (and satisfyingly).

“What?” he deflected. 

Castiel shot him a look that said quite clearly what he thought of his tactics.

“You have been off ever since you came back from London”, he said. “And your scent has shifted. Very slightly, but even I as an alpha can detect it.”

“Damnation!” his fellow alpha snapped. “I did not meet anyone up there.”

Castiel just looked at him. Lucifer shifted uneasily

“You have got to stop doing that!” he grumbled. “All right. It is someone in Sanditon but.... they would never even look at me.”

Castiel was surprised. His brother was quite rich and an alpha. He could surely have anyone he wanted.

“Why not?” he asked. 

“Because I have heard what he thinks about me”, Lucifer said bitterly. “You know how Michael has friends at that rag you are reading. He has made sure that those rumours about how I 'cheated' my poor elder brother out of his rightful inheritance are repeated on a regular basis. I saw my ome... the fellow reading them and heard him say how he hated a man who would cheat on his own blood.”

Castiel was kind enough to both drop the subject and not to mention again that his normally unemotional brother had so nearly referred to his quarry as 'my omega'. But he remembered the conversation which, as things turned out, was just as well.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Like most budding seaside resorts Sanditon was very quiet in winter. Thus any development, no matter how small, attracted a lot of attention.

“Have you seen the newcomer at Pelaw House?” Miss Griffiths asked excitedly as she came to the shop one day.

Castiel sighed. He had long ago come to the conclusion that trying to stop his friend gossiping was the original Sisyphean labour¹.

“No, but I am sure that you have everything down to his inside-leg measurement”, he said dryly.

“Catty Castiel!” she said reprovingly. “Thirty-one at a glance, I would say. Mr. Benjamin Olsson, all the way from the United States would you believe?”

Castiel was surprised by that.

“What is he doing somewhere as remote as here?” he wondered.

His friend grinned knowingly.

“Well”, she said far too casually, “it could be that he recently inherited the lands of a certain Lord Hughenden, whose predecessor was Lady Denham's fourth husband.”

“And I am guessing that said lands were less than he was expecting?” Castiel smiled.

“He is, I am told, moderately well-off anyway”, she said, “but also not the sort of person not to want something that he regards as his. That makes two people sniffing around Her Ladyship.”

“They had better be careful, then”, Castiel said, “lest she decide to make one of them husband number six! Is he considered handsome, this Mr. Olsson?”

“You know that I would be the last person to answer that”, she said loftily. “He is single, a beta, and evidently of some wealth if he can afford a sea-front property as he has taken it for six months. I shall find out all about him soon enough.”

Castiel did not doubt that for a moment.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Mr. Castiel Parker considered himself to be generally a good person. So it was damnably unfair that his friend was still there in the shop when the disastrous events of half an hour later befell him.

The layout of the back area was such that Castiel had a clear view of the door from both his office window and from the corridor that led to the storage area. So when he heard the bell ring he did not immediately look up from his work, knowing that Inias was out there and would handle the customer. Unless they proved at all difficult in which case he would go out and 'assist' because some people.....

That was when it hit him. The most delicious scent ever to fry his brain cells. Miss Griffiths looked up in alarm from where she was sat opposite him reading a catalogue.

“Castiel?” she said. “What is it?”

The alpha whined as, incredibly, he felt something forming far too rapidly Down Below. His voice suddenly got higher – thank the Lord he had locked the door! – and with a sudden gasp his knot formed.

“Ew!” Miss Griffiths said, shocked. “You are having a rut!”

“I cannot!” Castiel gasped. “I have.... never had one before! I.... oh Lord not again!”

She winced but was clearly worried. Alpha ruts were supposed to come on gradually, not suddenly like this. Unless..... 

She stood up and looked out through the glass window, then smiled.

“I rather think the reason behind your sudden attack of alpha horniness is out there”, she grinned. “A certain omega called Mr. Dean Heywood.”

Castiel stood slowly, yelping at the sudden friction and came to stand beside her.

“This is impossible!” he ground out. “I cannot be having with an omega like him.”

“Those bowed legs of his might be useful?” she teased. He glared at her.

“Lord but this could not be worse!” he groaned.

“You might not want to put any money on that”, she grinned.

“Why?”

“Because Inias is coming out to speak to you”, she said, “which means that you are going to have to go out there and face your nemesis.”

“I hate you!” he groaned.

“But apparently your body _loves_ Mr. Dean Heywood!” she chuckled. “Oh this is going to be such fun – especially when your annoying brother Michael finds out about it.”

Castiel whined in pain just as his employee knocked at the door.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time, Dean makes two discoveries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Sisyphean labour: Sisyphus was an ancient Greek king who upset the Gods (pretty easy back then) and paid for it big time. Consigned to Hades, he was told he would be let out if he pushed a huge rock up a hill – except every time he was within sight of the top, it 'slipped' out of his grasp and rolled all the way back down again!


	4. Tease For One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean goes shopping and finds the perfect alpha – or at least he will be once the omega has finished with him!

There were, Mr. Dean Heywood had long considered, many disadvantages to being an omega. But there were also one or two small advantages and one was his excellent sense of smell – which was why he pulled himself up on the pavement along Sanditon High Street and sniffed carefully.

Alpha. Not only that, a strong alpha, the scent one of feathers and rain. And most importantly of all, an alpha for _him!_

Dean had read all the statistics and he knew that the chances of a perfect match between an alpha and an omega were incredibly small. No-one he knew had even come close yet he could definitely scent _his_ alpha, coming from that shop over there – the one right next door to his own! That meant the alpha he could smell had to be Mr. Castiel Parker – Dean could detect no other alpha close to his own, although there was both an omega and, almost inevitably, his friend Charlie who could really stop using that perfume of hers. Dean might almost have missed his future mate.

He remembered what the red-head had told him about Mr. Castiel Parker in that the gentleman preferred omegas but was determined to marry someone quiet and biddable so that he could have a successful political career. Dean would just have to change his mind on that, would he not?

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The omega knew the instant it happened. He was barely through the shop door when the alpha scent suddenly sharpened into what was most definitely a rut. Poor Charlie, having to be with him at a time like this! Smiling slightly, Dean walked up to the counter where a dark-haired young omega was waiting to serve him. 

“I am Mr. Faith”, the man said politely. “How may I be of service, sir?”

Dean grinned wolfishly.

“By going out the back and telling your alpha employer that I am waiting for him”, he said. “Or I can go out there to him if he does not want to come out. You may tell him that I am..... flexible!”

His fellow omega reddened, excused himself and almost fell over his feet in his haste to leave. The alpha scent had sharpened again – Dean guessed he would be buying a certain red-headed person a box of apology cakes later – before the alpha himself appeared. Mr. Castiel Parker was in his early twenties, not physically dissimilar from his employee but most definitely an alpha. He was also shaking slightly for reasons Dean could well guess. 

“I am looking into buying a new shirt”, Dean said airily. “Good quality cotton, white. Do you have any?”

It was almost as if he had asked for the moon and stars whilst he was at it. The alpha somehow contrived to turn even paler.

“Uh, yes?” he managed.

Dean grinned and pointedly looked downwards towards where something other than the alpha's blood pressure was very visibly rising. He licked his lips as the alpha sweated even more.

“I could try it on out here if you do not have changing rooms?” he offered.

The alpha looked horrified and let out a noise that would have made more sense coming from a distressed walrus.

“Rooms!” he squeaked. “Through here!”

He almost fell over his feet as he showed the omega through to the changing-area. Dean took off his jacket as he was walking and began to unbutton his shirt.

“Wha.... what are you doing?” the alpha gasped.

Dean looked pointedly at him.

“Waiting for you to bring in a omega large white shirt”, he said. “Better hurry – or I might end up taking it _all_ off!”

The alpha was clearly having difficulty breathing, then yelped and all but fled from the room. Dean snickered.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The omega was not the least bit surprised when a white shirt was borne into the room by the shop-assistant.

“Hullo”, the man said. “Sorry for my employer; he seems a little... indisposed.”

“So 'indisposed' he could hardly walk?” Dean grinned brightly, noting how mortified the man looked at his remark. “Sorry. Let me try it on.”

The shirt was of good quality and Dean was almost distracted from the nearby heady scent of distressed alpha who, if he was not 'relieving pressure' in some other part of the building, the omega would eat his hat.

“Is your employer always like that?” Dean could not help saying.

“Like what?” Mr. Faith asked.

“So flustered around a strange omega”, Dean said. “You are family, I can tell, but he was all over the place with me.”

The young man reddened.

“Mr. Parker has certain Ambitions”, he said carefully, “and he.... he likes things in his life just so. He does not like Entanglements.”

I will entangle him all right, Dean thought to himself.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean decided to let his future mate stew for a while and went to meet this uncle at the curios shop next door. Mr. Thomas Heywood was as nondescript as Dean's stepfather but a decent fellow, and clearly glad to be being relieved of his duties.

“Business is good”, his relative said carefully, “and I am sure the new items you are considering will only make sales go up.

Like something else near here, Dean thought. The scent from next door was palpable even in here.

“I do hope so”, he said. “Indeed, after my experience next door I am thinking that I already have a market on which to test some of our exciting new range!”

The omega called briefly upstairs to check the progress of the workers on his rooms then left to walk back to Halsey House. Via the bakery where he ordered a full-sized apology cake for his friend, who did not need to have to sit though that sort of thing.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time Castiel learns a 'hard' lesson.


	5. Circulation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel recovers from his ordeal and decides to take some time reading to get his mind off of.... Things. Unfortunately for him someone else has also had the idea to visit Sanditon's Circulating Library.

Mr. Castiel Parker yelped as someone threw a glass of water over him. He sat up rubbing his face.

“What happened?” he asked.

Miss Griffiths grinned at him.

“You fainted”, she said. “Just after telling me about a certain omega and some disrobing.”

The alpha groaned. His friend looked down disapprovingly.

“And you need to buy some looser trousers otherwise everyone will know... well, put a Union Jack on it ad be patriotic!”

Castiel turned away from her and tried to make himself decent. Less indecent at least.

“This cannot be happening!” he groused. “I had my future so well laid out.”

“Maybe Dean wants to lay you out?” Miss Griffiths suggested mischievously. Castiel glared at her.

 _“Not_ helping!”

“You could be the first member of parliament to have an assertive omega mate”, she said. “A trailblazer.”

“We are at war with France”, Castiel reminded her, “and the country does not want to blaze any trails.”

“The slave trade ending last year?” she pointed out.

“That was primarily a political move to outflank the French and buy off the reformists”, he said dismissively. “I would risk becoming known as the alpha who is subservient to my omega, and no-one would ever take me seriously. I might even be linked with that movement to admit omegas into parliament. Can you imagine one of them going into heat, and the _”Times”_ having to tell its readers that the Honourable Member for Berkeley jumped and forcibly mated the Honourable Member for North Devonshire?”

“If your Honourable Members cannot control their own members”, she said, “then they do not deserve to remain Honourable Members. Although if Dean comes into the shop again at least one part of you will be pleased to see him!”

The alpha glared at her, then downwards to where _someone_ had a terrible sense of timing.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel spent the rest of the day not hiding in his office, and not jumping every time the shop bell rang. It was, he thought, damnably unfair that the omega's sense of smell was so much better than his alpha one and that the teasing bastard could show up any time.

He glared downwards again.

“I was only thinking of the fellow”, he groused. “Down boy!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The alpha was relieved to get to the end of the day without any further disturbances (or 'uprisings'). Unfortunately he had overlooked one small detail. He entered the main room at Aboukir House and his brother Lucifer raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Lord have mercy you _are_ a mess!” he said. “Even for you.”

“Thank you brother”, Castiel said heavily. “I knew that I could rely on _you_ for support.”

“You have had some sort of rut”, Lucifer said narrowing his eyes at his sibling. “You have never had one before. Who caused it?”

Castiel silently cursed his brother's sharpness.

“I had a.... reaction to a certain omega who visited the shop today”, he said. “None other that Mr. Dean Heywood.”

His brother chuckled.

“Michael will be livid when he finds out”, he said. “You know how he expects first go at such things. And now you just walk in and take the prize.”

“Walking was damnably difficult today”, Castiel sighed.

“Brother! Too much information!”

“I take no lessons on modesty from someone who bathes naked in the stream in the back garden”, Castiel said loftily.

“It is private enough”, Lucifer said dismissively, “unless someone is overcome with a sudden and desperate urge to visit the shed beyond. Besides, I say when you have got it you should flaunt it – although from those trousers you were flaunting it yourself most of the way home!”

Castiel groaned.

“Is there no such thing as privacy?” he complained.

“When the flag outside the Rose & Crown is not the only thing at full mast?” he grinned. “Nope!”

Castiel glared at him and adjusted himself. Again.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Mercifully the following day was a Saturday which meant that Inias would run the shop for the day with help from Adam. Leaving a beta and an omega in charge of a shop might have seemed risky, but when the omega in question was the ward of Lady Rowena Denham even the most lecherous alpha knew to keep it in their trousers otherwise Her Ladyship might arrange to have it cut off. Or worse, she might decide to marry them!

Castiel decided that as it was a sunny day he would walk over to the Circulating Library run by Mrs. Whitby and select himself some new reading material. His mother had taken out an annual ticket to the place (although sadly all that literature had not improved her own dreadful writings one jot; the alpha still shuddered after having had to read the one about the all-alpha life-boat crew hit by a sex-spell during a storm at sea). 

After a long and hard night - in both senses of the words - Castiel had decided to put the events of the day before well and truly behind him. It was after all just a chemical reaction between an alpha and omega and someone as well-organized as he was could easily suppress such primal urges. He reached up for a book on angels only to realize that there was someone on the other side of the shelf.

“Hullo alpha!”

Yes, Castiel really should have worn the looser trousers.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time, a little learning is a dangerous thing!


	6. Better Circulation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Dean Heywood is not the sort of omega to take advantage of his friend Miss Griffiths knowing everything about a certain horny alpha. Except when he is.

Mr. Dean Heywood smiled as he looked through the gap in the shelves, then pointedly walked slowly away to one of the two private reading-rooms at the back of the library (there may have been slightly more hip-swaying than was absolutely necessary). The heavy breathing he could hear from behind him was most gratifying, as the alpha followed him into the room. Once they were inside Dean closed the door; they would not be disturbed in here. He wondered how sound-proof the place was.

“What are you doing to me?” Castiel ground out. “I do not need this in my life just now!”

Dean glanced pointedly downwards.

“At least part of you disagrees with that sentiment”, he drawled. “Still, they do say fresh air is good for you.”

He slowly began to unbuckle the trousers of the trembling alpha, who let out a barely-suppressed keening noise but did not try to move away. His impressive cock was already trying to push its way out of his underwear, and once it was free Dean walked slowly around the back of his prey.

“Wha... what are you doing?” Castiel managed. His voice had somehow gotten even higher.

“Sizing you up”, Dean said. “Impressive. I am going to look forward to riding that one day.”

The alpha moaned. Dean moved in behind him and reached around, slowly jerking off the impressive cock and revelling in both the rapid breathing and the fact that the alpha just stood there and took it. His prey was clearly making every effort to keep the noise down and from the shuddering he was just about to....

“What the hell?”

Dean had guessed that the alpha had been set to come, and had moved his other hand to clench firmly around the rapidly expanding knot. The alpha's breathing was now so fast that the omega decided he had not better prolong things – 'things' were prolonged enough already! - and leant forward to whisper in Castiel's ear.

“Come!”

With that he released his grip and placed his hand over the alpha's mouth. Castiel gasped and came violently, his spend shooting across the room and splattering across the floor even up the bottom of the tall window. Dean moved round to stand before what was left of his prey.

“Very impressive”, he praised. “I shall leave you to clean that up, alpha. Just remember....”

He should probably not have felt that much joy at the look of terror on the alpha's face. Oh well, there was always the option of an extra donation in church come Sunday.

“I may have six more tests for you”, Dean smirked. “All, ahem, _harder_ ones.”

With that he left, shutting the door behind him. He was actually quite surprised to make it all the way to the main entrance before it happened.

“Well?” Miss Griffiths said. “Did you do It?”

He pulled a face.

“In the library?” he said questioningly. “I do have _some_ standards.”

“Some of us remember the Tent Incident with that handsy alpha from Telscombe”, she said pointedly.

He blushed. Seeing that the librarian Mrs. Whitby was giving him the evil eye (although if she had known what he had just done to one of the town's leading citizens, she would doubtless have given him rather more), Dean led his friend outside.

“I was very fair towards him”, he said once they were clear of the building. “And I did allow him _some_ relief.”

He knew from her face the moment that she got it.

“Ew! Bad omega!”

“Not yet”, he grinned. “Like Cas, that comes later!”

He strode off smiling.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean was sat on the sea-front eating a sandwich when someone came up to him. It was the shop-assistant Mr. Faith.

“Hullo”, he said shyly. “You came to the shop the other day. May I join you?”

“Of course”, Dean smiled, glad to see another omega. “You are not working today?”

“I was”, Inias smiled, “but my employer came in unexpectedly and gave me the rest of the day off. He seemed quite... flustered.”

Dean suspected that that was an understatement.

“This place does seem a little more accepting of omegas that my home village”, he said, “although I suppose that that is the country for you. I heard from Charlie – Miss Griffiths – that you are a ward of Lady Denham?”

The other omega nodded.

“She has been very good to me”, he said, “taking me in after both my parents died. And I do stand to inherit some money when I come of age, so it is important to have someone powerful to deter those who.... you know.”

“You mean like Mr. Michael Parker and his kin”, Dean laughed. “I thought something was wrong with his eyes the way he kept leering at me after he 'accidentally' broke down near our house.”

“They are an interesting family”, Inias smiled. “Mr. Raphael Parker snapped at me this morning for not bowing low enough to him; apparently he is King Louis the Fourteenth of France this week. My employer is definitely one of the better ones.”

“I have met all of them now except Mr. Lucifer Parker”, Dean said. “He lives somewhere nearby, I was told.”

Inias pointed across the bay.

“That is Sandover, the resort he is developing in competition with this town”, he said. “They say that he swindled his brother Michael out of his rightful inheritance, but Miss Griffiths has since told me there was rather more to it than that. Mr. Castiel lives with him; the rooms over our shop are mostly for me when I am having a heat.”

“One of the many downsides of being an omega”, Dean agreed.

“Talking of which”, Inias said, “here comes another. It seems that Mr. Balthazar Parker has actually found a lady in town who has not slapped him yet.”

The couple approaching them suddenly stopped as the lady delivered an impressive uppercut to the tall blond man, who sprawled untidily on the pavement.

“A short yet”, Dean said with a smile.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time Castiel thinks that things cannot get any worse. Er.....


	7. Opening Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the band played on.

Mr. Castiel Parker was strongly tempted to spend the weekend hiding out from a certain omega. Unfortunately the Fates were not on his side; this particular Sunday would see the opening of the new bandstand on the sea-front and Mrs. Parker was taking the family to support her eldest son's latest addition to Sanditon. Which in turn meant a dreaded Family Dinner later in the day. Which in turn meant Mother would want to read her latest story to them all.

Castiel had not gotten over the one of the alpha Roman decurion cursed with a permanent erection, which he could only work off on all ten of the men 'beneath' him. He had not been stupid enough to ask how she thought of these things but unfortunately Gabriel had, the idiot, and everyone had learnt that their Father was the 'inspiration' behind many of her stories. Which... ew!

The journey down from Sandover was not that great either as his brother Lucifer had once again spotted that something was amiss.

“What is it with you today?” he asked. “I know Mother's Readings are bad but you have never looked this fearful before. Not even that time she invited her whole Writing Circle round.”

“The Coven”, Castiel muttered, shuddering at the memory. Against all the laws of probability there were women out there whose writings were even worse than his mother's. “No, there is just someone I am anxious not to meet today, and knowing my luck he will be there. The new omega Mr. Heywood.”

Lucifer stopped the phaeton¹ on the seafront and looked at him.

“Is there something between you?” he asked.

“Only the fact that we seem to be true mates”, Castiel sighed.

“Then what is the problem?” his brother asked. “Most alphas would jump at such a rare event.”

“Because a politician needs an assertive omega mate like we need Mother's stories!” Castiel said. “The idea of votes for omegas is a toxic one, and I cannot have any political career if I am married to a supporter of that cause, which I have learnt that he is. I shall just have to get over it.”

His brother grinned brightly.

“Well, never let it be said that I stood in the way of true love”, he said. “I shall walk back to the house and you can take Dean in this love-buggy.”

“I hate you!”

“I know!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel did not shudder when he saw a certain omega approaching him. It was still winter and it was cold. 

“Not yet, alpha”, Dean growled. “The ceremony has not even started.”

The sudden tightening in the alpha's trousers told him that at least one part of his anatomy was more than happy with matters just now. Although when the omega 'accidentally' brushed against him as he passed, Castiel almost went off there and then. He managed to hide it with a cough that was definitely not a whine, despite somebody's annoying smirk.

The ceremony was much as Castiel had expected; a band playing, Lady Denham in an expensive new hat and eyeing up the town's mayor in a way that was inappropriate even without the man's wife and children standing next to him, lots of other gentlemen in suits several of which really needed to be 'let out', and a couple of workers to place the stone in position after which Mr. Crowley-Denham (on behalf of his aunt) and Castiel's brother Michael would each shovel in some cement around it. Plus a certain omega standing far too close to him that was socially acceptable, whatever part of him very clearly thought. The alpha looked longingly at the omega's muscular neck just waiting for his claiming bite... stop it!

The whole ghastly ordeal passed off successfully and the assembled throng adjourned to their carriages with Castiel somehow ignoring his eldest brother's scowling, Lucifer's smirking, Raphael playing along with the band (he was a trombone-player this week), Balthazar rubbing his face after having been slapped by someone or other and his mother giving him the thumbs up (at least Gabriel was not there having been left behind because of some incident involving paint). Castiel was actually trembling when the omega got in beside him but there was no way to avoid their touching in such a small vehicle.

The omega waited until they had turned off the parade before he spoke.

“Pull over”, he commanded.

“What?” Castiel asked. “Why?”

Dean just looked at him. The alpha sighed and did as he was told. The moment he hung up the reins, the omega spoke.

“You have sixty seconds to come.”

Castiel was horrified. True he was sort of hard already, but here?

“We are on a public road!” he hissed.

“Now barely fifty seconds”, Dean said, looking pointedly at his watch.

This was demeaning! This was unacceptable. This was.... why were buttons suddenly so damn tricky? Castiel managed to get himself free of his confining clothes but shot the omega one last piteous look.

“Twenty-five seconds and counting”, Dean said primly.

Castiel whined again but began to work his already rock-hard cock, coming violently in (and all over) the phaeton with barely five seconds left. Luke would kill him! 

Worse, Luke would tease him!

“Very good”, Dean praised. “Now I suggest we adjourn to your shop where you can change your clothes and clean the insides of this vehicle. Otherwise people may ask... Questions.”

The bewildered alpha was so out of it that he actually picked up the reins and drove some little way before realizing that he was protruding in an open carriage right in the middle of Sanditon. He hissed in annoyance and pulled over to rearrange things.

Even without looking he could see the smirk!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Once again Mr. Castiel Parker was left thinking that his day could not get any worse. Once again he was to be proven wrong. They had finally made it to the family home without any more molestation of the poor alpha when Dean leapt down lightly from the phaeton and turned to him.

“Just to remind you”, he grinned, “that was the second of my seven tests to prove whether you are a worthy mate for the likes of me. The other five will be” - he looked pointedly downwards, where 'things' were once again looking up - “even harder!”

With that he sauntered off into the house, swaying his delicious omega butt far more than was necessary. And to cap it all Castiel could not help let out a possessive growl which he knew the omega must have heard.

Damnation!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time Castiel makes a shocking discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) A light four-wheeled covered carriage, much favoured by the nineteenth century equivalent of boy racers.


	8. Ring Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is having a 'wail' of a time!

Dean was not sure, but he suspected that Mrs. Parker had deliberately chosen that story about the omega dominant for her family reading, especially given the way her youngest son had looked so pained at it (all right, he had not been the only one). Maybe a certain omega covertly taking notes had been pushing matters?

No.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean allowed his prey a whole week without further molestation before going to his shop one day, knowing he would have a visitor. On his way there he met Miss Griffiths.

“Off to torture some poor helpless alpha again, are you?” she said cheerfully.

“Not yet”, he grinned. “Stephens back at the house tells me he is sneaking in to work via different ways each day, and always uses the back entrance. Which is useful, really.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because once he is fully trained, I will be using his back-entrance as regularly as he uses mine!”

“Ew! Bad omega!”

“Yes. Your point?”

She swatted at him but smiled.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean had been able to smell the scent of sexually frustrated alpha even from next door, and it suddenly grew stronger as Castiel blew into his shop looking very annoyed.

“I just had Mr. Fallows in my shop”, he growled. “He was advised to come to your shop and entered mine by mistake.”

“Ah yes”, Dean grinned. “A jar of my Happy Release unguent, to make that pleasurable alpha moment even more pleasurable.”

He grinned as the alpha's eyes watered at that.

“He was also interested in my range of Sealed Knots”, Dean went on as if talking about sexual aids in a Sussex seaside resort shop was the norm. “We do a range of four; Easy, Medium, Hard and Zero release. For when one wishes to make one's alpha work harder and harder for that moment of _ultimate_ pleasure.....”

He was talking to himself, as Castiel had fled with a despairing wail. Although Dean did notice that the alpha had had difficulty running. He allowed himself a small smirk. 

All right, maybe not that small.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

“You really are terrible, you know”, Charlie said when he met her later. “Torturing your poor future husband like that.”

“Who says I am going to marry him?” Dean grinned. “I might just spend the next two or three decades leading him, on, always making him think that next time we will.... you know.”

“Next time you will both wave your hands in the air in some strange manner?” she said innocently.

“Next time we will do the horizontal waltz!” he grinned.

“Well, I would watch out for Mr. Michael Parker if I were you”, she warned. “When you were at the ceremony the other week he was looking daggers at the pair of you. Especially you.”

“He only wants me for the shop”, Dean said dismissively, “so he can sell it to his brother at a profit. And Stephens tells me that he almost never goes round to see his own children except when his mother orders him to. Which reminds me; I could always suggest to Mrs. Parker that she invite you to her next Reading....”

“You bloody dare!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean had finally moved into the rooms above his shop and had returned briefly to Halsey House to make sure that he had all his things. The entrance-hall was something of a mess with two maids working hard to clean the wet floor. Mr. Lucifer Parker was just leaving.

“What happened?” Dean asked, looking at the mess.

“Raphael decided that he was King Canute this week”, the alpha grinned. “So Gabriel and Balthazar threw him into the sea. I see that your shop is continuing to offer its discreet sidelines?”

“Everything for the pleasure of alpha, beta or omega”, Dean smiled. “Your youngest brother came in to remonstrate with me but had to leave as he found it rather 'hard' to accept.”

“It is amusing that someone as strait-laced as Castiel has finally realized he has a sex shop next door”, Lucifer grinned. “He had to go to Hailsham for some reason today so I suppose Adam or Inias are running the shop for him?”

“I have not yet met Adam”, Dean said. “Inias was there when I left. I passed that unpleasant Mr. Bartholomew when I was leaving and he was looking at him in a most unbecoming way.”

Just as he had suspected the alpha's scent sharpened before he could pull himself together. Well well.

“That.... _beta_ thinks he would make a good match for young Inias”, he said stiffly. “Or more likely for his money.”

Dean did not smirk at the alpha's defensive reaction. Not that much.

“Well, people usually marry for money rather than love”, he said. “I must be getting back to my room, as I promised your mother I would read her latest story for my sins.”

Lucifer winced.

“The one about what really went on inside the wooden horse at Troy?” he guessed.

Dean nodded.

“You might want to order a drink first”, the alpha advised. “Two for that matter!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time a visitor to Aboukir House sees rather more than they expected.


	9. Wet Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Inias both see new opportunities.

The previous evening had seen Castiel invited (ordered) by his mother to Halsey House where some bastard of a teasing omega had spent the whole evening 'accidentally' brushing against him at every opportunity. The alpha had as a result spent the whole evening rock-hard. The only upside was that his mother's latest 'masterpiece' was not quite finished yet, so he would not be hearing about Hercules' Twelve Labours Of Love. 

_Yet_ , a small voice reminded him. He shuddered at the dreadful prospect.

The alpha had decided to walk over to Sanditon rather than take the carriage, which meant he was able to stop on the way home and 'relieve' certain matters. And he would be having Words with his brother Lucifer about smirking like that when he declined a ride back in the phaeton.

Two weeks then passed during which Castiel did not sneak into his shop via the back entrance, did not check both ways before reaching any turning, and was not a complete and utter nervous wreck. Except when he did and was.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Despite the on-off torrential rain outside it was nearly spring and Castiel did not even try to avoid rolling his eyes when his brother strolled into breakfast wearing only a dressing-gown, clearly intending to go outside for a bathe in the stream. At least it was better than far too many in society who seemed to think that washing was dangerous to their health, or the likes of Balthazar who tried to drown the dirt with cheap cologne.

“Lady Bracklesham has moved in next door”, Castiel said pointedly. “She is over seventy and does not need to see that of a morning.”

“Then perhaps she should avoid using her binoculars!” Lucifer grinned brightly. “Or at least letting the glare of the sun give her away. Have you heard the news, brother?”

“Something in the war?” Castiel asked. His brother shook his head.

“Mr. Fenton-Woods has died”, he said gravely.

Castiel's eyes widened sharply. That gentleman had been the member of parliament for the nearby town of Hailsham¹ which meant a by-election – which meant a chance for him to become a member of parliament at last.

“If your omega lets you”, Lucifer grinned.

“He does not rule my life”, Castiel said firmly.

“Stains in the phaeton”, his brother muttered under his breath.

“Shut up!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel was upstairs in his room a few minutes later when he looked down and saw a carriage draw up outside. He watched first with interest then with horror when two omegas got out of it; Inias and Mr. Dean Heywood. Too late he remembered; he had been so relieved at getting away out of the shop yesterday without seeing the insatiable omega that he had forgotten to hand to the keys to Inias, who was supposed to open the shop today. Damnation!

Fortunately it seemed that his luck was in; Inias alone went into the house and Dean wandered off up the road, presumably to go and wait for his friend in the small restaurant there. Castiel heaved a huge sigh of relief and went downstairs to see his cousin. Curiously Inias was not there although one of the servants said that they had thought him in the garden and sent the omega there. Which meant.... oh Lord above Castiel's improved day had gone south with impressive speed.

Sure enough Inias wandered back into the house only moments later, looking dazed and smelling.... well, even Castiel's alpha nose could scent it. He winced.

“You saw my brother bathing in the stream?” he hazarded. His employee nodded, visibly shocked.

“I had no idea”, he said quietly. “He is so.... so....”

Castiel sighed. None of the family had been particularly blest with looks but Lucifer had been unlucky enough to inherit what Gabriel crudely called 'the coach-crash face' from their father. That had been shortly before 'someone' had glued Gabriel to his chair.

“So beautiful!” Inias burst out.

_What?_

Any further thoughts Castiel may have managed to assemble on the subject were prevented from the arrival of said brother, looking if possible even more dishevelled than usual. He had managed to pull on his dressing-gown and get rid of the worst of the water but was still dripping on the floor. He looked mortified.

“Inias”, he managed. “I can explain.....”

The omega looked at him darkly then strode across the room.

“You!” he growled. “Upstairs. Now!”

Lucifer actually whined before almost falling over his feet as he scrambled for the door. Inias strode after him but paused at the doorway. The positively feral look on his face made Castiel shudder.

“My fellow omega sent you something”, Inias grinned. “In the box, on the table. I am afraid you will have to manage without me for today, sir. Probably for most of the week – _with any luck!”_

And with that he was gone, racing after his prey. Castiel stared after him in shock, then looked across to the table where a small, innocuous looking box about six inches across was sat there. Approaching it almost as if it were a bomb – with that omega, one never knew – he carefully opened it.

So much of his blood rushed to his lower brain when he saw the contents that it was amazing that he could still stand. It was one of the movable cock-rings Dean had talked about in his shop, and there was a note with it:

_'My dear alpha,_

_Time for your third test. Very soon some local gentlemen will invite you to a meeting to assess if you are a fit and proper person to represent the good folk of Hailsham in Westminster. You will wear this for the whole of that day – _no cheating or I shall know!_ – and if you can get through without breaking it, you may proceed to test four. Should you fail there will be.... Consequences._

_Postscriptum: As I am sure you are wondering, I gave another of the set to my fellow omega whom I brought over this morning to catch your brother bathing. I am sure he can put it to good use, if he has not done already. My regards to the most informative Lady Bracklesham. Lucifer - or what is left of him - can thank me later._

_Dean Heywood (Mr.)'_

Bastard, Castiel thought, taking out the cock-ring. As if I would.... holy cow!

The damn omega had only gone and had 'Property of Mr. Dean Heywood, Esquire' engraved on it!

Castiel just had time to hide the thing in his writing-desk when there was a pleasured moan from upstairs that ran through far too many octaves, ending in his brother's voice screaming, “Lord have mercy!” Upon which he decided that some fresh air would benefit him. 

As of now!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time politics is hard – and it is not the only thing!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) In theory Castiel could have been elected a member of parliament for anywhere in the United Kingdom, but local areas often preferred their own candidates. This left him with several options; represent a town like Hailsham (not a real constituency at the time), represent some other Sussex town (only Lewes and Seaford were anywhere nearby) or stand as one of the two county members representing everyone outside these towns. At the Great Reform Act of 1832 the county members were doubled from two to four and Brighton became a new double-member constituency. The dual-member seats of Chichester, Hastings, Lewes and (New) Shoreham were retained but Arundel, Horsham, Midhurst and Rye each lost one of their two members and Bramber, East Grinstead, Seaford, Steyning and Winchelsea were disenfranchised. The net effect was to reduce the county's representation from 26 to 18 members. Fifty-three years later the Redistribution of the Seats Act would be equally dramatic; only growing Brighton remained a two-member seat and the others were all merged or abolished to form seven county areas of roughly equal size, slashing Sussex's representation in parliament to just 9 members.


	10. Political Clicks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is a Bad Omega!

“None of them look regular to me.”

Dean smiled at his friend. They were sat on a bench on the Sanditon seafront, watching as Mr. Castiel Parker and three very obviously well-to-do gentlemen walked slowly along talking to each other.

“You are referring to some of the top gentlemen in Sussex”, Miss Griffiths pointed out.

“More round than top”, he scoffed. “I can see who ate all the pies!”

“Your future husband looks a bit off”, she observed. “Lord alone knows why; it is not like he has to face a potwalloper¹ election.”

His slow grin made her stare at him.

“Oh Lord, what is it with you omegas lately?” she said. “I hear that young Inias has not let the devil out of his house for a week and now you are.... what did you do?”

Dean smirked.

“One of my most popular lines”, he said. “Expandable cock-rings.”

“Ew! Bad omega!”

“But not _that_ expandable!”

She swatted him.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean knew exactly the moment that Castiel saw him as the man's blue eyes widened in terror. The alpha adjusted himself covertly and turned back to his three companions who seemed mercifully unaware of his abstraction. Time to step it up a notch.

Dean stood up and placed a foot on the bench, retying his shoelace. And if he pointed his arse in his tighter than usual trousers towards the alpha and waggled it slightly, well, things did happen. There was a barely-suppressed moan from the alpha which made one of his companions look at him curiously, but he managed to cover it up.

Although judging from the bulge in his trousers, 'things' had happened!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean was waiting in Citadel Clothing when Castiel returned, looking decidedly red in the face. Although that was nothing compared to the look of terror when he saw the omega.

“Going somewhere?” Dean said quietly. Fortunately Adam was busy with a customer and was either not paying them any attention, or possibly determined to not pay them attention.

“I did it, you sadist!” Castiel ground out. “And now I am going for some relief.”

“I do not think so.”

The omega may have enjoyed the visible effort the alpha had to exert not to moan at that.

“Wh... wh... what?”

“I said you were to wear it all day”, Dean grinned. “In my dictionary the day ends at midnight. In the meantime.... I think I should like to try on some new trousers.”

Castiel grabbed him by the arm and hustled him through to the changing-area.

“What are you doing to me?” he demanded.

“I have a whole list to work through”, Dean said. “For the moment I am seeing of you are worthy of being my husband, especially now you are going to be the new member of parliament for Hailsham. And I believe in making honourable members work..... hard!”

“I have to be both selected and elected”, Castiel pointed out.

“This area is solidly Tory”, Dean scoffed. “And just think of the fun you can have when you wear that cock-ring to your first Cabinet meeting.”

Castiel stared at him in horror. The omega could guess his thoughts precisely.

“I so would!” Dean grinned.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean had to hand it to the designers of the cock-ring; that clickable device was brilliant. Every time he heard a soft click from down below the alpha would seem momentarily relieved before looking mortified, and rushing off to clean up. Then limping back and looking anywhere but at the omega. And then the whole ordeal would star again.

His alpha should have been grateful. He had the Medium ring with ten settings. The hapless Lucifer Parker had the Hard one (in both senses) with only six. Well, Mrs. Parker had plenty of other sons, and besides she would probably enjoy writing a story about it. If she had not done so already.

“These are all very well”, Dean said, frowning at some black trousers as if they had displeased him, “but I need something to wear underneath them. Do you have panties?”

He had not thought it possible for the alpha to go any redder but Castiel looked fit to burst. Impressively there was no clicking, which said something for alpha self-control.

“P...p...p..panties?” Castiel gasped.

“I was thinking white lace”, Dean said conversationally. “Three regular pairs for daily use, and one _extremely_ sheer one for private use in the bedroom only. I might even start stocking them myself.”

Castiel was looking at him like a starving dog facing a juicy bone.

“We.... uh, we might not have those other ones in your size”, he managed.

Dean grinned darkly.

“Who said that _I_ would be the one wearing them?” he said.

Castiel let out a shriek and disappeared, though not before Dean heard yet another tell-tale click from down below. He grinned and started to get dressed again. This wooing thing was _fun!_

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) A rare (3%) type of rural borough in which the franchise was given to all those who did not receive alms (welfare) and could wallop a pot, i.e. they had a hearth on which a pot could be heated. Most boroughs were more like Hailsham where the franchise was restricted to the 'forty men' namely those men with property worth forty shillings (£2) or more, the equivalent of a large house. There was no ban on women or omegas actually voting but as they almost never owned property as of right the matter did not come up. Yet..


	11. Fire Down Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TMI!

Castiel did not know how what was left of him got home that evening after his meeting with the local Tory gentlemen and then encountering That Damn Teasing Omega back in his shop. Thank Heaven the alpha always kept a spare change of clothes out the back, from which he had skulked out fearfully at the end of the day in case someone was waiting for him.

He was relieved to make it back to Aboukir House intact. Which was more than could be said for the wreck of an alpha brother he found lying on the settee, staring blankly into space.

“Lucifer? Are you all right?”

His elder brother shuddered.

“Seven days!” he managed at last. “Seven days of sex. I cannot take much more of it, Castiel. I am only a mortal man.”

“Oh Lu-cy!”

Even Castiel shuddered at the appearance of Inias at the door, the omega looking hungrily at the other alpha as if he were a juicy meal. Castiel's elder brother actually whimpered.

“Have mercy!” he begged.

“Maybe when I have done with you”, Inias growled (even Castiel took a step back from the horny omega). “Upstairs, alpha. Now!”

Lucifer whined again but rose to his feet with only a couple of pained moans before trudging away. He yelped as he passed the omega, who had very clearly pinched his arse. Castiel sighed at the pair of them and went to pour himself a drink.

“Lord above, not the stairs again!”

On the other hand, a nice long walk around Sandover might be good just now. Or a run. Preferably via the French doors so he could avoid hearing.... ew!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Because Castiel was both an alpha and a generally considerate person, he dropped off one of his softest kilts at the house the following day. As an alpha he knew full well that his brother would not be up to wearing anything remotely chafing. He ignored the small voice that said such a consideration might shortly be being applied to someone else in the house.

His mother was of course delighted at the news of her second son's engagement. She even said it would inspire her to write a story based on it, which in turn made Castiel even more keen to get away to London as soon as possible. Things could not be worse.

Which just went to show how much Castiel was wont to underestimate the universe, when Lucifer and Inias finally made it to Halsey House. Of course it was Gabriel who made fun of his elder brother wearing Scots dress.

“Of course he is”, their mother said firmly. “He has to.”

“Why?” Balthazar asked. “We barely allow the Scots¹ to wear them.”

“Your father knows”, their mother smiled. “The nights around our wedding.... he too was quite sore in certain areas. Fire down below, as they say.”

Gabriel ran wailing from the room and even Boadicea (Raphael) looked unnerved. Castiel cried inside.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel would like it noted that he had not had any thoughts of a certain green-eyed bow-legged omega wearing a kilt. With nothing underneath. None whatsoever.

How could his own conscience snigger at him?

“I hear that congratulations are in order.”

Castiel did not jump, nor did he let out a shriek of surprise. And he would be having Words with Adam later about that smirk.

“Mr. Heywood”, he said in a voice that was at least an octave too high. “What brings you here?”

“Just being a good neighbour”, Dean grinned dangerously. “I thought I would drop in and tell you about your next challenge. I wish you to wear something out of my catalogue. It is the item on page forty-three.”

Castiel wondered what that might be before a recent conversation sauntered across his mind, dug out a box of sweets and sat down to enjoy his discomfiture.

“What if you do not have it in my size?” he asked in a voice that was at least an octave too high.

“I decided to stock them myself”, Dean smiled. “My supplier in London was also able to suggest several 'improvements' for which I am sure the alphas, betas and omegas of the town will be grateful. You will be wearing them to the meeting of the selection panel – along with the ring!”

Castiel gulped. He knew that two other local gentlemen were interested in becoming the member of parliament for Hailsham, plus there was always the danger of some relative or friend of a sitting member deciding to step in. That meeting could decide his whole future. The omega grinned and handed him the catalogue he had been holding before returning to his own shop. Tremulously Castiel opened to the correct page.

Page forty-three. Alpha Male Lace Panties, White/Transparent With Detachable Flaps. Extra Roomy With Lockable Knot-Straps.'

Castiel cried. That was terrible! That was horrible! That was..... they did look rather attractive he supposed, and.....

Lord, what was That Damn Teasing Omega turning him into?

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel's tortuous day was not yet over. His mother and Balthazar arrived in the shop; she was intent on purchasing him several items which meant an annoyingly long visit. Although oddly the beta was limping.

“Your omega neighbour is quite feisty”, Balthazar complained. “I called in on my way here and asked about some of his products, and he took it totally the wrong way.”

“What my dear son means is that he propositioned Mr. Heywood”, Mrs. Parker said smoothly, “and actually achieved something even I had thought impossible. He found someone in the town who had not slapped him.”

Castiel could not help himself. He growled at his brother who smirked but still backed away from him.

“Should I be arranging a second wedding?” his mother asked with a smile.

“Mr. Heywood and I are a long way from making it up the aisle”, Castiel said firmly. 

A long, _hard_ way, his conscience added. And it was sniggering at him again.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Following Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite Uprising, the Dress Act of 1746 forbade Scots from wearing tartan and plaid except when in service of the king. It was widely resented, particularly as it did not discriminate between those clans and families who had always been loyal to the Hanoverians but who were now punished along with the rebels in their native land, and the act had been repealed in 1782. Scots dress would later enjoy a surge of popularity after King George IV visited the country in 1822 and a piece of MacBean tartan was even taken all the way to the Moon and back by American astronaut Alan LaVern Bean in 1969!


	12. Laced And Booted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean continues to be a tease whilst Charlie has a problem.

Dean was sat enjoying a book on the seafront when Miss Griffiths came along and sat down beside him. He knew at once that something was wrong; she was far from her normal bubbly self.

“You have not suffered something scandalous at the school again, have you?” he asked. There had been an unfortunate incident last year with one girl who, unbeknownst to just about everyone, had managed to continue a secret relationship with an unknown suitor and even briefly elope with the fellow. Worse still, in their brief absence he had managed to put her in the family way. Fortunately the wretched girl had (eventually) admitted that Charlie's school had been in no way to blame, but it had come as a shock to the red-head.

“We have a new girl”, she said. “A Miss Dorothy Lambe from the West Indies.”

“Yes, I saw her in town”, Dean said. “Her parents own half an island or some such and she was wearing the most startling pair of bright red shoes that had several women in the town Tutting with a capital 'T'. She seemed all right. What is up with her?”

His friend stared hard at the floor. Belatedly Dean got it.

“Oh”, he said softly. “You and her.”

She nodded.

“Her parents want to train her up to run the sugar plantations”, she said. “Her mother had her and then two boys who both died, and the doctors have warned her not to try again. Dot will be a millionairess!”

“Well, you never know”, Dean said comfortingly. “She is here for some months at least.”

Miss Griffiths sighed.

“So how goes your process of torturing our future member of parliament?” she asked.

“Hailsham's, not ours”, Dean said, “and only a potential one. There are two other local candidates, plus the danger that someone already in the Commons may see it as a chance to try to get some friend or relative in. But I know at least the two local men up against him and neither are up to much. Although Cas soon will be.”

“Will be what?” she asked.

“Up!” Dean grinned. “Because he will be wearing a certain lacy undergarment complete with an engraved cock-ring to the selection meeting!”

“Ew! Bad omega!”

“Only when I 'accidentally' let him catch sight of the matching undergarments that I shall be wearing!”

She shook her head at him.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Thanks to the efficient offices of his friend Dean knew both the rival candidates for the vacant Hailsham seat and neither was really a serious threat to his alpha. One was really too old – he had already had one long stay in hospital and the selection panel was not going to want to have to risk going through the whole process again if their new member expired on them before he got his fat arse on the Westminster benches – and the other, although much younger, had a really annoying wife whose efforts on his behalf had already annoyed the selection panel. A pushy mate was a terrible thing.

Or it would be. For someone.

It would have been totally cruel of Dean on just passing a certain alpha to have whispered “fire down below?”. Or to have then moved on and 'accidentally' lowered his belt in such a way as to allow said alpha the merest flash of black lace of his own undergarments that day. Or to have smiled at the poorly suppressed growl that followed him as he departed.

Totally cruel. Oh well.

Despite himself Dean was quite impressed with his future husband, who held it together despite having to make a visible effort not to look at him. Although when the two other candidates were being spoken to by the selection panel, Dean did notice that Castiel was grasping the arms of his chair rather tightly. He grinned and sauntered over to the alpha.

“It seems to be going well”, he said conversationally. “You will surely have the thing all tied up by the end of the day.”

The alpha nodded but said nothing. He was visibly sweating.

“And perhaps one day I will have you all tied up”, Dean said quietly. “You would like that would you not, alpha? To let your mate take full control over you whilst you are unable to do anything. And knowing that your mate is wearing a certain pair of lacy black panties, the perfect match to the ones you have on right now.”

With that he sauntered away – but not before again 'accidentally' lowering his belt to flash the panties once more at the alpha behind him. Who was hard put to suppress the moan of pleasure.

'Hard' put indeed.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Sure enough the selection panel chose Mr. Castiel Parker to be put forward as the Tory Party candidate for the Hailsham constituency, which Dean knew meant he would be elected at the by-election when it was held in early June. 

“I am surprised you did not go to the Whigs and stand against him”, Miss Griffiths said reprovingly. “Or stand as an independent¹. You have done everything else to torture the poor man.”

“I quite like the idea of having an Honourable Member of Parliament whom I can control through his own honourable member”, Dean grinned, smiling at her disgusted face, “and doubtless once this war is over and done with I shall be 'encouraging' him to bring forward certain changes in the way the country is run.”

“You think he can go all the way to the top?” Miss Griffiths asked. “That would be hard.”

Dean grinned as the alpha moved stiffly from the room.

“Not as hard as he is just now!”

“Ew! Bad omega!”

Dean looked across to where the alpha was shaking hands with the selection panel. The alpha caught his eye, and Dean ran his tongue around his lips whilst looking at him. The increase in breathing was both notable and pleasurable – for Dean at least.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) The two main parties were the Whigs (reformists) and Tories (conservatives). At this time in our history the House of Commons was split about one-third each between Tories, Whigs and non-aligned or independent members, although the latter were on the decline and would gradually disappear over the next three decades.


	13. Plugging Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Castiel Parker has just about recovered from the selection meeting, and is looking forward to the election. No, I said election. 'L', not 'r'.

It had quite slipped Castiel's mind that he had been invited (ordered) to go round to his mother's house that evening and hear her latest 'masterpiece'. Normally he could have counted on his brother Lucifer to remind him, but the Parker named after the devil had his mind (or what was left of it) on other things just now.

Castiel would have to have Words with Inias about looking too smug at work. What was it with the third sub-gender these days? They were getting ideas Totally Above Their Station.

The alpha could also have usually counted on his staying later in the shop and not returning to Sandover to act as an additional reminder, but today he had a distraction. A green-eyed, bow-legged distraction. Which reminded him; he needed to have the cracks around the door filled. All that cold spring air was making him shiver.

“Hullo, alpha”, Dean grinned. “It is time for your fourth test. Complete this and you will be over halfway through.”

Castiel felt totally through with this omega but he just nodded (not at all eagerly) and led the way out the back without falling over his feet more than once. Well, not more than twice. Ish.

“What is it?” he asked nervously.

“It involves sex”, Dean said casually. “You have a bed here?”

Castiel's eyes widened. Was this man trying to kill him?

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Some time later – Castiel was not sure, as his senses were still somewhere beyond reach – the two of them returned to the shop. Adam had made himself diplomatically scarce for which the alpha was supremely grateful. Even if he could barely walk.

“So”, Dean grinned. “Now you know all about the prostate.”

Castiel would have turned to glare at him, but sudden movement was still painful. Instead he let out what was definitely a manly whimper.

“You..... you put a plug in me!”

“Thoroughly”, Dean grinned. “Such a delicious, luscious arse, which will soon be all mine. And once you reach midnight you can take it out.”

The bastard omega then went and slapped the alpha's arse, which only drove 'things' home even more. The whimper this time was not a manly one by any stretch of the word. And Castiel did not need to think about stretching just now!

“Tonight?” the alpha asked.

“After your mother's reading”, Dean reminded him.

And _that_ was when Castiel remembered.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

It had to be one of the longest, hardest (in both senses) and most difficult evenings of Mr. Castiel Parker's life. He was sure that That Damn Teasing Omega would not tell anyone else what he had done – well, fairly sure – but he had to sit there on an uncomfortable chair all evening with Dean smirking at him. And he was sure that both Lucifer and Inias, who had also been invited, had known that something was up judging from their grins. Although his brother's grin faded very rapidly when he saw Dean and Inias talking and looking pointedly across at him. His brother had not looked that terrified since he had lost that bet and had to read two of his mother's stories in quick succession.

Something _was_ up. All bloody evening!

“I think perhaps I was a little too hard on you”, Dean whispered once he caught the alpha alone.

“Please do not mention the word 'hard'!” Castiel groaned.

“I have decided to let you take the plug out as soon as you get back to Aboukir House”, Dean said.

Castiel had to make an effort not to sigh with relief. The evening was almost over; all he had to do.... oh fuck!

The omega's grin told him that Dean had gotten it already.

“A long carriage ride all the way around the bay”, he smirked. “A carriage with little or no suspension. On bumpy roads. And because I am such a considerate omega, I got you this.”

Castiel looked down as Dean showed him a small jar of unguent. It was the one he sold in the shop for aftercare for omegas. The alpha blushed fiercely.

“You will need it tonight”, Dean grinned. “I have not of course told anyone about our little secret – although the fact you may not be able to walk properly tomorrow may be a give-away.”

“I hate you!”

“Or I could insist that you keep it in all week?”

“You would not be that cruel!” Castiel said. Although even as he said it, he wondered.

“I was thinking more of the item on page twenty-two of my catalogue”, Dean smiled. “The Triple-P – the Personal Prostate Pleasurer - for the ultimate in alpha relief.”

Castiel was sure that he was going to faint. There may or may not have been a small whine (there was).

“In sizes up to Triple Extra Large”, Dean reminded him. “And for a small extra charge it too can come engraved with the owner's name. Imagine wearing that on a ride all the way to London Town.....”

He was alone, the alpha having fled in horror. He allowed himself a small smirk.

Small as in huge.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Stephens drove Castiel and Dean back to Sandover at the end of a long, hard evening, the alpha not-whining at every bump and rut on the minor and interminably long road that connected with the turnpike. Castiel did not have to be helped into Aboukir House; he was just tired and not leaning at all on his omega. Who, to his horror, told Stephens that they would be half an hour before driving back.

“Do not worry”, Dean grinned. “You are going to need help applying that unguent – especially where _you_ will need it.”

Castiel could not but agree (although he would be talking with his mother later about servants who smirked too much) and limped into a side-room (come on, the stairs were so not an option) where with only one or two expressions of surprise (not yelps of pain) Dean was able to extract the plug. And the alpha did not let out any moans of pleasure at the unguent, whatever anyone said.

How the blazes could he see Dean smirking when he was face down?

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time Castiel does not tremble as to what comes next (hint: him!).


	14. In Harness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Castiel Parker attends an important social event in the town of Hailsham – and his omega decides it is time for the fifth test!

Despite being an omega Mr. Dean Heywood was afraid of but few things – except possibly his friend Miss Griffiths. Fortunately she had not carried out her threat to demote him to scullery-maid although she had said that when the day came they could take pictures of events like this, she would be the first to have one of Dean in a dress.

Very fetching he had looked, he thought.

“You really are terrible, you know”, she said once they were back in Sanditon. “I met Inias yesterday and he said poor Lucifer had tears in his eyes when they finally made it back to Aboukir House the other day.”

“As all the guide-books say, a well-trained mate is a happy mate”, Dean said sententiously. “Besides, I would have thought Inias was too busy with Lucifer - especially after he purchased my Knot-Massager, Special Deluxe Edition!”

“Ew! Bad omega!”

Dean chuckled.

“How are you and Dorothy getting along?” he asked.

“It looks promising”, she said. “Her family want her to spend the summer touring the Lakes – she is something of a painter – and she has asked that I be allowed to go with her. And Mrs. Tran has said she will step in and manage the school for me whilst I am gone; her son Kevin was horrified when I told him.”

“Cas has to go up to Hailsham next week”, Dean said. “Not quite so far, but he has to attend a dinner at that horrible Lord Gilsome's house.”

His friend winced.

“The one who nearly blocked the end of the slave trade because he wanted to keep collars on omegas?” she asked. Dean nodded.

“Fortunately he was forced to back down”, he said. “The government could hardly un-collar the slaves but keep English omegas collared. Unluckily for Cas he needs his support as the chief landowner in the town.”

She stared at him warily.

“You are not going to do anything terrible, are you?” she asked. He smirked.

“All that delicious power, waiting to be harnessed”, he grinned. “Time for another test, methinks!”

“And what will you do if you succeed in killing him through all this pre-marital torture?” she asked dryly.

“Make sure that his headstone records that he died through sex”, Dean grinned. “Every alpha who sees it will be so jealous!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel did not cry when Dean took him out the back of the shop and showed him what he had brought. It was just an allergic reaction. To all that leather.

“You cannot expect me to wear that!” he protested. “Only omegas ever wear harnesses.”

Dean smirked and stretched the item out. The alpha gasped when he noted the attachable cock-ring.

“That pompous ass Lord Gilsome”, the omega grinned, “And you wearing this beneath your fine shirt, those delicious muscles of yours straining against that raw leather. One muscle straining more than most!”

He slipped his hand inside the alpha's trousers and began to fondle the already erect cock. Castiel moaned loud enough to make Dean glad that there were two closed doors between their room and the shop.

“At least I am not asking you to wear a collar, like some omegas had to until recently”, Dean growled. “And would again if the likes of Lord Gilsome had his way. He will be going on and on about how terrible modern society is, and all you will be able to think about is coming back to claim your reward.”

“Re-re-reward?” Castiel gasped, in a voice at least two octaves too high as the omega began to work him even faster.

“A kiss”, Dean grinned.

“Th... that is it?” Castiel managed.

“Consider just _where_ I will be kissing you, alpha!”

The omega suddenly bit down on the alpha's neck, exactly where a claiming-mark should have gone. Castiel cried out and went off like a rocket.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The alpha scowled when he went back out into the shop and saw Inias smirking at his change of clothes.

“Not. A. Word!” Castiel growled.

“I shall have to spend more time with your Dean”, his employee grinned. “He is full of ideas. I am sure Luke will be even more grateful.”

“Where is Luke?” Castiel asked. “I thought he was coming in with you today?”

The omega grinned.

“I left him back at the house”, he said. “Hopefully he can walk by now.”

Castiel shook his head at him. Omegas these days!

“I think that is a most excellent idea”, Dean said, emerging from behind the alpha and making him jump violently. “One can never have enough ideas as to how to keep a mate in order. Which reminds me, Inias, I have an improved item in my catalogue. Perhaps you and Luke might like to try it out?”

“What is that?” Inias asked.

“The Triple Extra Large Personal Prostate Pleasurer”, Dean grinned. “Now with attachable.... Extras.”

Both omegas grinned at the alpha's suddenly increased breathing.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Miss Griffiths came into Dean's shop later.

“You dare tell me what you did to that alpha and I will find something worse than scullery-maid!” she threatened. “I went in there to return Inias' book and poor Castiel jumped as if he had been shot.”

“My lips are sealed”, the omega promised. “Just like.... something else will be around here.”

She shook her head at him.

“We are getting a newcomer to town next week”, she said. “A Mr. Pensnett is taking Brighthelmstone House in the town.”

“You do not know everything about him already?” Dean asked, surprised. “You are slipping, Charlie.”

He narrowly dodged out of the way of her swat.

“Mabel at the letting agency said she thought they had his name wrong”, she said. “The request came from a Mr. Gadreel Pensnett, but the gentleman who turned up was a Mr. Ezekiel. Well, I shall know everything about him soon enough.”

Dean did not doubt that for a moment.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time Castiel does go to the ball(s).


	15. A Hard Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Castiel Parker attends an important social event in the town of Hailsham – and finds it a STRAIN!

Castiel had known that, as a member of parliament, he would have to attend many of these sort of social events, wear the sort of formal clothing he did not really like and talk with the sort of people whom he would normally wish to avoid if not to slap hard and repeatedly. 

Hard. Not a good word to think about when he had that leather harness stretched across his chest, running right down to the cold metal ring around his cock.... and now he was thinking of That Damn Teasing Omega!

His sole consolation was that Dean himself could have no reason to be present at the ball, not least because the sight of an omega in his house would probably have caused Lord Gilsome to have to summon a doctor. The man's aversion to the third sub-gender was legendary, but at least it would keep the omega from knowing just how much his alpha was suffering right now.

Castiel pointedly did not think about just when he had become 'his alpha' to Mr. Dean Heywood.

Unfortunately even that relief was to be denied him, for his and Dean's mutual red-headed friend had somehow wangled herself an invitation to the event, and from the smirk on her face when they met she clearly knew something was up.

Which it was. Those leather straps were tight!

“I am _so_ not asking for details”, she said quickly. “But yes, Dean told me he was testing you this evening. How are things, alpha?”

“I am several miles from comfortable!” Castiel grumbled. “The bastard forced me to wear a leather harness of all things; the only thing missing is a collar. I do not see how he could have made things worse although I am sure he would have tried if he could.”

“Well, he does carry a version that wraps completely around the nipples”, she grinned. “He said that even the slightest movement squeezes them – and he knows how sensitive those can be for some alphas.”

Castiel prayed silently that that was not to feature in a later test, assuming he survived this one. At that moment the host wandered over, a corpulent almost round figure who looked uncertainly at Miss Griffiths.

“Parker”, he said, ignoring the lady completely. “Heard you want to be the member of parliament for this place?”

“I am standing for election”, Castiel said.

Miss Griffiths smiled at that and looked pointedly downwards. The alpha shot her a cross look; she might be right about his 'standing', and 'election' was close to what was happening down there but she did not need to be so... her.

“Fine young strapping alpha like you should do well”, Lord Gilsome said. “Keep the lower orders In Their Place, what?”

“Mr. Parker believes very, very firmly about keeping things in their place!” Miss Griffiths grinned.

 _Not_ helping, even if she was all too correct. 

“You not found yourself a lady yet?” Lord Gilsome asked bluntly.

“There is... someone”, Castiel said carefully, knowing that to reveal a relationship with an omega might sink his chances just now, “but we have an Understanding that I must get er.... elected before we proceed. As a member of parliament I will have certain costs to bear that would not otherwise be the case and my future partner must bear that in mind.”

“Mr. Parker always carries his responsibilities before him”, Miss Griffiths agreed, before muttering very quietly under her breath “amongst other things!”

Castiel blushed fiercely. Fortunately Lord Gilsome was at that moment spoken to by some other important alpha and the two wandered off talking.

“That Damn Teasing Omega is killing me!” Castiel complained.

“Never mind”, Miss Griffiths said consolingly. “He sent you this.”

She surreptitiously slipped him a small jar of unguent. He looked at it curiously.

“What is this?” he asked.

“Aftercare”, she grinned. “Dean said you may be sore in some areas by the end of the evening. And that evening is about to get even harder.”

He scowled at the _double entendre._

“Why?” he asked. She gestured to the door.

“Your family is here!”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Just when he had thought his life could not get any worse, the Universe proved him wrong again. The next few hours were some of the longest in Castiel's young life, as he strove to prevent Gabriel from playing his usual tricks on the assembled throng (he missed only the whoopee cushion his golden-eyed brother managed to slip into the ladies' sitting-room), to prevent Balthazar from getting slapped more that four times, and to intercept Lord Gilsome before he talked to Julius Caesar (Raphael). Michael spent the whole evening scowling at him and about the only good thing was that his mother had been late arriving and had left her latest story at home, although she extracted a promise from Castiel to read all about the omega who escaped from his Viking captors after having sex with all twenty of them until they were too exhausted to pursue him. And he could not even retire and 'relieve matters' thanks to that horrible ring. 

At least he was able to return to Sandover at the end of the evening to find Lucifer – well, what was left of Lucifer - asleep on the couch with his tousled head resting in Inias lap as the omega read. His employee looked up and smiled at Castiel before returning to his book, and the alpha went upstairs for.... well, for that.

He was not jealous of his brother. He was not!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

There was yet another downside to the evening's torture, which Castiel found when he finally got the leather harness off as his valet ran a bath for him. Having a near-permanent erection all evening had made jerking off painful to say the least, and he used at least half the unguent just to obtain at least some relief. A pity it did not work on smirking servants who might be out of employment tomorrow if they did not learn to keep their amusement at their master's discomfiture to themselves in future! 

Mercifully he had finished applying the rest of the unguent and was stood at the window (sitting was so not an option) when Lucifer wandered in.

“Inias said that you looked like you needed some time”, he said quietly. “How is it hanging, brother?”

Castiel scowled at him.

“Very, very carefully”, he said. “And I have a good mind to encourage Dean to talk with your mate more. I am sure he has many interesting new items to try out.”

Lucifer looked horrified.

“Pax?” he offered.

“Pax”, Castiel agreed. “You looked out of it when I came in.”

His brother sighed.

“He is the first person in my life to ever call me beautiful”, he said quietly. “And he means it. What did I do to end up being so lucky?”

“You still have to make it to the wedding”, Castiel said. “Think of all the things he and Dean can come up with between now and then.”

Both alphas shuddered at the dreadful prospect.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time there are nodules.


	16. What Goes Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean tests one new sales item and gets inspiration for another.

“So you have not killed your poor alpha yet, then?”

Mr. Dean Heywood grinned at Miss Griffiths as she sat down beside him in Hanover Park on the Sanditon seafront. The prospective member of parliament was but a few yards away, visibly sweating as he made a speech to his future constituents.

“I still have two tests to inflict on him”, he grinned. “And the next one is something new from my catalogue. Inias is trying it out on Lucifer today.”

Miss Griffiths looked across to the couple in question, who were sitting quietly listening to Mr. Castiel Parker. At least Inias was sitting quietly. His husband looked decidedly uncomfortable for reasons she did not wish to inquire into.

“You are _not_ going to give me details”, she said firmly. “Otherwise the next time we re-enact the Battle of Lewes, I _will_ demote you to scullery-maid. _Fourth-class!”_

Dean pouted in mock displeasure. At that moment his alpha finished his speech to some decent applause and the crowd began to disperse. The omega took note of how slowly Mr. Lucifer Parker rose to his feet and the fact that he looked positively terrified at something...

Oh yes. The carriage ride back to Sandover. The _very bumpy_ carriage ride back to Sandover!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean had a customer at his shop later (mercifully not Castiel's mother again; even he had been mortified at the things she had purchased 'for literary investigation purposes'). It was one of the newcomers to town, Mr. Benjamin Olsson. The burly beta had not been seen much around town and Dean had heard from Miss Griffiths that he had been seen in conversation with Mr. Wilson Hollis, the other gentleman with interests in the Denham estate. The omega noted that the gentleman checked both ways along the road before entering the store and spoke in a low voice once he was inside.

“I have heard that you sell devices that.... ahem, pleasure omegas when inserted into them”, he said nervously.

“We do”, Dean said. “We do however ask that the omega in question come to the shop and state their acceptance of such a purchase. We have a reputation to keep up.”

And other things to keep up, he thought wryly.

“It is not for an omega”, Mr. Olsson said, looking even more awkward. “It is for me.”

Dean was surprised.

“Well, I do not usually stock such things”, he admitted, “as I did not think there was much demand for them. Alphas and betas will sometimes use a pleasurer for their omega on themselves, although the mechanics make it a little more difficult. But my supplier up in London has said that he makes them, and I could order one for you. Is your mate accepting of this?”

The man somehow contrived to blush even more.

“My alpha would like one too”, he muttered. “A matching pair.”

“Of course”, Dean said easily. “We can even have them engraved if you wish.”

The beta's breathing suddenly increased sharply.

“No!” he said in far too high a voice. “At least, not yet.”

“Maybe later”, Dean smiled. “I can have both items here in ten days, so if you come back two weeks from now you can collect them. I shall charge the same rate as for omegas – after all, we are all men here.”

The beta blushed even more and fled from the shop. Thus began one of Dean's most profitable lines of business.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean was sure there was a curious noise from outside his shop an hour or so later, but before he could go and investigate Inias entered.

“I just wanted to say thank you”, he grinned. “Luke would come in, but as you can hear movement is a little difficult for him just now.”

“I would have thought movement was quite easy”, Dean grinned. “That, after all, is the whole idea. You will need this.”

“Aftercare unguent”, Inias smiled, accepting the small jar. “Thank you. He will need it; the road back to Sandover is very rough. And when we get back and I allow him some relief, that is when I shall show him the panties I have been wearing all day. Goodbye.”

He smiled and left the shop. Dean grinned after him, then opened his catalogue to the page on which the device currently inside Mr. Lucifer Parker (and soon to be inside his younger brother) was situated:

“Advanced Prostate Pleasurer With Over Twenty Different-Shaped Nodules. Comes Complete With Leather Strapping and Rotating Base Ring, So The Slightest Move Will Cause It To Turn To A Delicious New Angle – With No Warning!”

“Horny omega kills future husband with no actual sex”, he mused. “An interesting headline for the local and national papers. I suppose that someone has to be the first.”

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Dean had another letter from home later that day, so read it in between customers:

_'Dear Son,_

_Something a little unusual has happened, and I wish you to be aware of it and possibly make one or two inquiries of your own. It concerns Samuel and his time spent working at that solicitor's in Lewes last year.'_

Dean remembered that. His younger brother was desperately keen to become a lawyer – an omega lawyer! - and last year he had persuaded their stepfather to obtain a place working at a place in the ancient town for a few months to see if he was suitable. Sammy had been ecstatic at being away from home and the company had spoken very highly of him.

_'As you are aware Samuel has recently attained eighteen years of age which means.... well, you are an omega too so you know what it means. Recently your stepfather had cause to visit the company and they mentioned that one of their clients had expressed an interest in Samuel, and that that gentleman had recently taken a house in the town in which you are staying. His name is Mr. Gadreel Pensnett and he is an alpha, apparently of some considerable means. I presume that he has somehow learnt that Samuel is shortly to join you there, but precisely what his intentions are we do not know. I was hoping you could ask your friend Miss Griffiths, who as we know is not the biggest gossip in all of Sanditon, to investigate.'_

Dean smiled at that.

_'Samuel is very excited at the prospect of going to the seaside for the first time, and I do not think he is aware of Mr. Pensnett's interest in him. I only hope it is a right and proper one; I should hate to have to dig out the kitchen-knife._

_Your loving Mother'_

Dean re-read the letter and thought for a while.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time the honourable member for Hailsham has his first (painful) 'sitting' in Parliament.


	17. The Long Way Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel's first visit to the House of Commons is... memorable!

It seemed a lifetime ago rather than just a week since Castiel had won a thumping majority in the Hailsham by-election, and here he was walking through the House of Commons¹ on his way to make his maiden speech. There were two important votes coming up and with the Duke of Portland's government having only a third of all MPs and just three more than their Whig rivals, every member was important. 

The alpha should have been excited at the prospect of starting his political career, and few who observed him in passing would have been surprised that he was sweating somewhat. None suspected (thankfully) that the actual cause of that was the omega walking beside him, Dean having been invited to the Visitors' Gallery along with Castiel's mother and father. And worst of all, the alpha suspected that his mother knew at least something of what was afoot, judging from the sharp look she had given him when she had wished him good luck. And the fact she had moved to smack his arse before suddenly stopping. Which had been just as well, really.

He winced as the pleasurer inside him shifted slightly. Lucifer had not lied when he had said he had had to spend a whole day recovering after Inias had used it on him. At least the horny elder Parker had had the reward of lots of sex afterwards. Or so Castiel had assumed; his elder brother had barely been able to speak at the time, and as for Inias' smirk – some omegas really were Getting Above Themselves These Days!

“Nearly there now”, Dean said quietly. “Only one more test after today, alpha, and then.... I am yours for good.”

“This is torture!” Castiel muttered. “I cannot think of anything worse!”

The silence from the omega was unnerving. Castiel looked at him sharply.

“What?” he asked testily.

“My supplier in London says he is stocking an even more advanced device”, Dean grinned. “A tube inside contains some hot spices, which are released through tiny holes every time the pleasurer moves around.”

Castiel had to stop and lean against a wall for support. A mistake as the new angle... owowowow!

“That would kill me!” he hissed once his eyes had stopped watering.

“Maybe something to think about for our first anniversary?” Dean teased. “If you live that long!”

The alpha glared downwards. The timing of one part of his anatomy which was clearly more than thrilled at such a prospect really could have been better.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Just over an hour later the alpha had finished being congratulated by his fellow members on his speech, which may or may not have been very slightly influenced by a certain omega looking down from the gallery. It was suitably non-controversial, the theme being how to make a land fit for heroes when that bastard Napoleon was finally defeated, but it left Castiel a lot of wriggle room to later become a champion of omega rights. Which, Dean had told him, he would be becoming once the war was won. 

Castiel thought of hot spices and shuddered. One of the changes he definitely _would_ be legislating about was some softer benches!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Mr. Castiel Parker would like it put on record that he did not whine gratefully when his omega took him to his hotel room, removed the torture device he had inside him, then applied copious amounts of cooling unguent until the alpha was not purring either.

He made a mental note to talk to his future mate about those judgmental silences of his.

“So”, Castiel said at last. He was still lying face down; he would not be sitting any time soon, and would be careful when next standing for that matter. “Six tests down, one to go.”

“As you say”, Dean grinned. “And you will be relieved – at both ends – to know that the seventh and final test is tomorrow.”

Castiel was not sure just how relieved that made him. At least he might be capable of movement by then. Hopefully.

“What is it?” he asked. “Anything to do with our journey home?”

“Partly”, Dean grinned. “Being the final test, for which the reward is you finally get to put that alpha dick into me, it comes in two parts. And once we are back in Sanditon, you can finally do what you have been wanting to do these past six months.”

The alpha did not even try to deny it, although he silently cursed his body for failing to suppress the appreciative growl it let out. And he would definitely be talking with Dean about those judgmental silences of his.

“You will be mine!” he almost snarled.

“I will belong to what is left of you”, Dean grinned. “First thing tomorrow morning we will have sex.”

The alpha was confused.

“But you just said....”

Far too slowly, it clicked. 

“You?” Castiel managed in a voice at least an octave too high. “In me?”

Dean smirked even more.

“Oh yes”, he said. “Hard, copious sex when you will take it like a man. Then a long, bumpy carriage ride all the way to Tonbridge.”

“Why Tonbridge?” Castiel asked, confused. “We can do the whole journey in one day if we start early enough.”

Dean grinned dangerously. Castiel began to have a bad (and quite correct) feeling.

“After I am done with you”, he said, “I will be inserting the pleasurer again. I doubt you could manage the whole carriage ride like that, so we shall rest halfway.”

That was.. almost considerate. Castiel frowned.

“Indeed!” Dean growled. “The test is that you are not allowed to come any time in the next two days – and you will not even have the benefit of a cock ring to hold you back, just your self-control. And once we are at Tonbridge I shall have my way with you again, in the evening and before we set out the following morning. You have to hold it in – literally – all the way home!”

Castiel did not whimper. He did not whine. And he was not several hundred miles up a certain river in north-east Africa either!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time, Castiel takes it like a man. Repeatedly!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Not the current Gothic-style building, this was the old Palace of Westminster, built in the eleventh century and given to the Commons by King Edward VI after his father Henry VIII had moved across the road to Whitehall Palace (itself destroyed 1698). Old Westminster only had another twenty-seven years of life ahead of it until.... we will come to that later.


	18. Hard Riding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel endures over eighty miles of pure hell!

Mr. Castiel Parker had changed his mind. There was something more important than making Great Britain a land fit for the hero soldiers returning from the Continent. And that was repairing this damn excuse for a road that was making his backside ache like never before.

“Remember, it could have been worse”, said an omega in the same carriage whom he no longer liked at all. 

“Your spice torture”, Castiel noted.

“Actually I took the chance of being in the capital to pop over and speak to my supplier”, Dean said. “He is developing a new device called the Front-And-Back.”

Castiel was almost afraid to ask but he had to know. In case... well, in case.

“Why?” he said in a decidedly high-pitched voice. Dean grinned evilly.

“A combination of the spicy pleasurer and a knot restrainer, tied together by some very rough leather straps.”

The alpha uttered up a silent prayer that this was his final test. Dean looked knowingly at him.

“Unless of course you fail it”, he grinned. “I am sure I can have one of those devices ready just in case!”

Alphas do not cry. Their eyes may however occasional water. A lot.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The morning had started with a bang – quite literally. Castiel had awoken to find the omega standing athwart him in his bed, stark naked and.....

The alpha had gulped. Maybe more than once.

“Wh... what is that?” he had croaked.

Dean had fingered his cock, grinning lasciviously.

“You have one of your own, do you 'knot' alpha?” he teased. “Time to pony up!”

Castiel had not whined in protest, but had done as he was told. And he was not jealous of that at all. Not one little bit. Absolutely no way oh my Lord right there baby yes yes yes!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Lambeth. Peckham. St. John's. Lewisham. Lee. Mottingham. Chislehurst. St. Mary Cray. Chelsfield. Sevenoaks. Nearly forty miles of utter hell!

The journey to Tonbridge was agony, not helped by That Damn Teasing Omega being a bastard of the first order. The only very small upside was that Dean, perhaps fearing that he might cause his future husband to rupture himself, had allowed Castiel to jerk off with the omega inside him. For the first time the alpha understood that old joke about pleasure and pain being close, as he had both hurt like hell and felt gloriously relieved. 

At least until the journey from hell (part one) started. They were not even across the Thames and Major Castiel (who would have to be promoted to at least General after this) _hurt!_ The alpha had never been so glad to see the Tonbridge town sign and to fall into his bed with a happy sigh.

Except That Damn Teasing Omega wanted even more sex with Castiel as the batsman! And worst of all when he offered to stop if it was too much, the alpha's treacherous mouth had said no before his brain could tell it to say please God yes! At least Dean had brought copious supplies of the cooling unguent, and once again Castiel had not purred whilst he had applied it. Although he had scowled when Dean had offered to go and fetch food for them both. It was not as if the alpha was totally incapable.

All right, he was. No need to go on about it!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Southborough. Tunbridge Wells. Frant. Mark Cross. Mayfield. Heathfield. Horam. Hellingly. Hailsham. Polegate. Over forty miles this time before he finally reached Sandover.

If Dean flashed those panties at him one more time, the alpha was going to stop being a gentleman, pull over and wipe that grin off That Damn Teasing Omega's smug face! But then he would fail the challenge and suffer a forfeit – and the omega had warned him that that could (would) be even worse than this hell on earth!

Castiel tried not to breathe faster (or think about that Front-And-Back device) and urged his horse on.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

They were in sight of Sandover and the bay when Dean suddenly slid his hand inside the alpha's trousers. Castiel let out a manly expression of surprise (yes it was!) and nearly went off there and then. Expressing his displeasure in a calm and controlled manner (sort of) he was barely looking where he was going, concentrating hard on not being.... hard.

“We are here.”

The alpha stopped screwing his eyes up and looked. Sure enough, they were stopped outside Aboukir House. And there in front of them was Lucifer's phaeton into which he was helping Inias.

“I am vacating the place for you, Castiel”, the older alpha smiled, his eyes flickering only briefly to where the omega's hand was just then. “At least a week.”

“Try not to break him!” called Inias.

“I shall not!” Castiel growled. “Omega!”

He had forgotten where Dean's hand was. The omega deftly fondled Castiel's growing knot and the alpha went off like a rocket.

“Oh dear”, Dean said in mock sympathy. “I did say you had to make it to the house and we are not inside yet.”

Castiel did not cry. He did not whine. He did not get down onto the floor of the phaeton and start begging (and both his brother and his brother's mate could shut up _right now!)._

“Well, I suppose you did get to outside the place”, Dean conceded. “Do not worry, Inias. I shall make him _glad_ to be ruined!”

With that he leapt down and was through the open door of the house before Castiel could gather his wits. Ignoring a brother and brother-in-law he no longer liked one little bit, the alpha gave chase. This was going to be fun!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time it is the morning after the very long and hard week before.


	19. Happy And Glorious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just remember, not whipped.

It was a little over a week since the future Mr. and Monseigneur Castiel Parker had returned from London, and Castiel's mother was holding an engagement party for the two of them. Or for the one of them, since the other was palpably absent.

“You cannot have lost him already?” Inias asked Dean as they waited for a certain alpha's belated arrival. The taller omega grinned.

“It took some time to find a kilt he could wear that was soft enough”, he said. “The normal one had him screaming like an omega as to how sore he was.”

They were both distracted momentarily by Balthazar Parker actually finding someone in the town who had not slapped him yet but who, unfortunately for him, was standing right next to a handy candlestick. Meanwhile Pontius Pilate (Raphael) was arguing with Gabriel about something across the room and Michael was still scowling at Dean. The omega; some things never changed.

“He told me at the start how much alphas love their knots”, he went on. “He should have been grateful that he spent the whole week in a state of permanent arousal.”

“The cooling unguent was ineffective, then?” Inias asked. “Luke says it works wonders for him.”

“He said he was too sore even for that”, Dean said, nodding at the mayor who was just passing.

“I am surprised that Mr. Smith and his ilk have not complained about your 'business, Inias observed.

“The mayor's wife does not allow his attentions now they have four children”, Dean said sagely. “But alphas have needs, as we both know. He and several of his fellow councillors all get a discount for not making a fuss.”

“Mr. Olsson looks happy”, Inias said. “There is speculation that he and Mr. Hollis are more than just good friends.”

“Judging from the way they are walking, I would say they are both using my products today”, Dean grinned. “There is an added sense of thrill in doing it in a societal event like this. And judging from the way your husband is currently listing slightly, they are not the only ones to be so doing!”

Inias blushed deeply (although Dean noted that he did not actually deny it), but fortunately a distraction was provided at that moment by the arrival of a tousle-haired alpha who limped into the room looking half-dead. His mate sauntered over to him.

“Greetings, my love”, he smiled. “Do you know that when the Ancient Romans had events like this, it is said that they expected the alpha to publicly knot their intended omega right in front of everyone, just to prove the strength of his devotion.”

Castiel's eyes widened in terror. There may have been a very slight quivering of a lip from one of them who was not an omega. And perhaps even a high-pitched cough that an uncharitable person might have maliciously mistaken for a whine (because it was).

“Do not worry”, Dean said consolingly. “I spoke to the town wise-woman Mistress Barnes, and she says that if I start coming off my suppression mixture now, I should have a full-blown heat in about four weeks' time. Just in time for your summer break from parliament.”

The alpha did not sigh with relief. No matter what it sounded like.

“Although we should still put in some practice in the interim”, Dean grinned, watching as the alpha's blue eyes darkened at the prospect. “Both ends up, as they say.”

Mrs. Parker came sailing over.

“So glad to see what is left of you, Castiel dear”, she smiled. “And a whole week at it – you have given me an inspiration for a nice new story!”

Dean hid a smile.

“And given our neighbours in Sandover an appreciation of our solid walls!” Lucifer Parker teased. Then yelped as his mate slapped his backside in the worst possible spot.

“I shall let my poor alpha rest for a while”, Dean said. “After all, we shall soon have a growing family though I have decided to set a limit on that. I think eight will be ample – or maybe nine......”

There was a thud as his future husband hit the floor. Dean grinned.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel moaned in pain as his knot tried unsuccessfully to form. At the far end of their bed a naked omega was stood with a clipboard and glasses, looking thoroughly delectable. Unfortunately for the alpha, the massive distance of three yards between them seemed as wide as the Atlantic Ocean just now.

“Very impressive”, Dean said. “The Rock-And-Roll Band will be one of my best-selling items yet; I am sure that alphas will _so_ enjoy it.”

The cruel, horrible teasing omega's latest idea had been a set of seemingly normal underpants with an evil twist. Inside the front pad, which was normally made extra roomy for well-endowed alphas, there was a set of rotating beads on a series of thin metal bands. As the alpha's erection swelled the beads rotated and encouraged it even more – as one alpha could well attest!

“I am going to die!” Castiel moaned. “Deeeean!”

The omega sighed in a put-upon manner.

“I do have several other variants to try”, he said, putting his clipboard to one side. “One where the beads are first coated with hot spices. Perhaps we could.....”

“I want you on my cock right now, damnation!”

Dean quirked an eyebrow at his alpha, who blushed as his angry tone. Then the omega smiled dangerously.

“As my husband commands”, he said simply.

And so Monseigneur Dean Parker fulfilled his husband's request.

Seven times!

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Castiel did not get up the whole of the next day. Well, part of him got up but.... you know.

_Yes you do!_

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

Next time several people get what is coming to them and what is left of Castiel gets..... yup, _still_ that kind of story!


	20. The Inheritance Of De'Ath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Always read the small print.

Mr. Gawain Sawyer was once more back in Sanditon just over a year since his last visit. This time he was in Halsey House having taken the precaution of first checking that the lady of the house was away visiting friends in Lewes. He still had nightmares over the story of hers featuring what really went on in the witness-box!

Four of the five other people who should have been here were present. Mr. Lucifer Parker sat with his mate Inias, and judging from the low growling at his elder brother and his omega's smug look, there would be a happy event in six to seven months' time. Mr. Michael Parker affected disdain at his twin although it was disdain from behind a very solid table, the lawyer noted. And Monseigneur Dean Parker was here – but no husband.

Fortunately Mr. Castiel Parker arrived at that moment. Well, what was left of Mr. Castiel Parker arrived at that moment. The alpha limped into the room in very poor shape, still wearing his kilt (a full month after the marriage the lawyer noted, not at all enviously) and smiled gratefully at his mate when Dean placed a cushion onto the chair next to him. His husband lowered himself onto it with several pained expressions and visibly sighed once he was safely down.

“Now we are _finally_ all here”, Michael Parker said impatiently, “you can tell us why you summonsed us.”

The solicitor was not surprised at the eldest Parker's rudeness. Well, he would soon get what was coming to him.

“A clause in your late grandfather's will”, he said, “which I was forbidden from divulging to you at the official reading, was that once both of his omega inheritors were married I was to disclose certain further details. Mr. Inias, Mr. Dean. Did you bring the items I requested?”

The two omegas nodded and handed over a small book and a rather ugly Grecian urn.

“Was there a reason you asked us to bring these?” Inias asked politely. “I quite liked the book, even if my brother-in-law did not want it.”

Michael Parker scowled.

“There rather was”, the solicitor intoned. “I have two things to tell you. First, Mr. Inias and Mr. Dean, the sum placed aside for you by your grandfather is now yours as of right. In each case it is ten thousand pounds, free of tax.”

Both omegas stared at him in shock.

“I thought it was but a few hundred”, Inias said eventually.

“So did I”, Dean agreed. He reached across to his husband who smiled at him, then winced at the sudden movement. There may have been a very slight watering of someone's eyes.

“There is more”, the solicitor said. “Mr. De'Ath Parker did try to persuade his eldest grandson to take up his antiques business, but Mr. Michael evinced no interest in it so he dropped the idea. He did however leave him the book and jar, both of which he revoked at the reading last year.”

“An old book and an ugly jar!” Michael Parker said rudely. “Such a great loss!”

“It really would have behoved you to have taken that interest”, the solicitor said mildly. “The book on etiquette and child-raising is in fact a rare early seventeenth century first edition, from a publisher who only worked for a few years during the Civil War in the king's capital of Oxford. It is worth in value approximately five thousand pounds.”

Michael Parker reached quickly for the book only for his twin to grab it away from him.

“Inias', not yours”, Lucifer said firmly. 

“And the mock Grecian urn?” Dean asked.

“Hardly mock”, the solicitor said. “An original work from the fourth or third century B.C. Utterly priceless and totally irreplaceable. I think....”

What he thought would not be known for Michael Parker lunged forward and swept the vase to the floor, smashing it to smithereens. The next moment he had a very angry younger brother on him, Castiel throttling him and growling angrily.

“Help!” Michael Parker managed. “Get him off!”

Dean yawned and looked disinterestedly at his nails as Michael Parker's struggles became ever more feeble. After some considerable time the omega sighed.

“Cas”, he said quietly. “Maybe later.”

His husband growled again but released his elder brother. Michael Parker scrambled to his feet and raced for the door.

“Enjoy your shards!” he called over his shoulder as he left.

The solicitor waited some little time before speaking.

“Did you bring it?” he asked.

“Like Inias, I decided to leave it behind just in case”, Dean said. “I had to go all the way to Hailsham to find something similar; you would have thought cheap Grecian urns were common!”

“The real vase too is worth somewhere between four and five thousand pounds”, the solicitor said. “Your grandparents invested wisely, and they knew Mr. Michael's character in that he would reject the items. He had all that money in his hands and he gave it away.”

“Bags I be the one to tell him about the vase”, Lucifer Parker grinned.

“You may”, Dean said. “Cas and I are going home to..... celebrate.”

“We too”, Inias agreed, looking darkly at his husband.

Alphas did not whine in terror. That was a fact.

֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍ΑΩ֎ΩΑ֍

The story of Sanditon continues almost immediately in _Double Trouble_ as Castiel and Dean have their first child together, and Samuel Heywood comes to town where he meets the man of his dreams - except that there's a catch. Or two.


End file.
